Kintampo (B/A) Nov. 15, GNA - Vice President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday urged the youth to take advantage of the government's Youth in Agriculture Programme to earn a living.

Mr. Mahama who was addressing this year's annual Kurubi festival of the chiefs and people of the Wangara Community in Ghana at Kintampo in the Brong Ahafo Region noted that agricultural development forms the bedrock of virtually every advanced country in the world. He said all developed countries began their quest for socio-economic advancement with maximum agricultural production output to the level of self-sufficiency.

He stressed that Ghana could not attain advanced socio-economic development without placing emphasis on the agricultural sector. The festival was organised under the auspices of the National Association of Wangara Communities, popularly called "Benkadi", which literally means "togetherness brings happiness".

It was on the theme: "United for Strength and Fortitude." The festival, which attracted Wangara communities throughout the country was a commemoration in honour of their ancestors who are indigenes of Bambara, Madingo and Djula from the once ancient Kingdoms of Mali and Songhai.

It also served as a rallying point for the Wangaras to gather for stock taking and plan for the ensuing year. The significance of the festival is the portrayal of chastity and abstention from pre-marital sex.

Mr. Mahama said as part of the programme implementation, government would provide all the needed resources like land and farming inputs including fertilisers and seedlings to the beneficiaries. He said people interested in the programme should contact the District Directorate of Agriculture in their localities for registration and other formalities.

In response to a request by Nana Fanyinama III, President of the Council of Wangara Chiefs for the rehabilitation of Kintampo town roads, which are in a deplorable state, Mr. Mahama said government would factor the project into the total cost of the on-going Techiman- Kintampo road restoration project.

Nana Fanyinama called on Ghanaians to support the government to be able to deliver its developmental agenda. He entreated traditional rulers and community leaders, to lead exemplary lives to win the confidence and trust of the people.

Nana Fanyinama lauded the communal spirit among the various ethnic groups in the area.

Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Regional Minister observed that the liberalisation of the airwaves had given a section of the populace the opportunity to hide under the constitutional provision of freedom of expression to insult political opponents and other personalities in the society.

He therefore asked programme managers of local FM stations not to allow such irresponsible characters to use the media to settle personal and political scores.

Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo said such tendencies had a greater potential of creating political or communal violence in the country. Alhaji Collins Dauda, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources entreated the youth in the area to be morally upright and avoid societal menace such as alcoholism, drug abuse, prostitution, armed robbery and sexual promiscuity, which leads to sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS. 15 Nov. 09