Keta outdoors new chief

Keta (V/R), Sept. 15, GNA - An electrical installation expert was on Thursday outdoored as Dufia (Chief) of Keta at a colourful ceremony ending nearly a decade of vacuum.

Mr. Joshua Kwamivi Ocloo, 50, who goes by the stool name, Togbe James Ocloo V, swore the oath of allegiance to the three kingmaker divisions in the Anlo State.

He succeeded his late uncle, Togbe James Ocloo IV, who died in 1997 after a 36-year rule.

Also outdoored was Divine Ami Dovi Ocloo, 55, a trader as the Queen Mother of Keta under the stool name Mama Awoameshie James Ocloo. In an address the new chief called for all hands on deck to return Keta to its past glory as a centre of national and international trade, education and administrative centre. He said he would work hard to improve the standard of living of the people.

Togbe James Ocloo commended the present and past governments for sourcing resources for the Keta Defence Project, which, he said, had rekindled, lost hopes for the area. He asked the people to put the reclaimed land to proper use. The chief called for the speedy completion of resettlement houses for the displaced people at Kedzi, Vodza and Adzibo

Former President Jerry John Rawlings said integrity and fellow feeling associated with the chieftaincy institution must be made to permeate and influence the political leadership and governance in the country.

Former President Rawlings was of the view that the appropriate applications of those values would make governance closer to the people and make poverty eradication and peace building among the people easier. He asked the people to hold that integrity and not to allow it to be influenced by money or material gains.

The Former President also asked them to wait patiently, no matter the suffering they were going through, for a better day, saying there is always light after darkness.

Present at the ceremony were Mr. Anthony Deku, a former Inspector-General of Police and now a member of the Council of State, Mr Victor Gbeho, Foreign Affairs Minister in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government and Mr Dan Abodakpi, Member of Parliament for Keta.