Paramount Chief commends government

Apam (C/R), Aug 25, GNA - The Paramount Chief of Gomoa Akyempim Traditional Area, Obrifo Ahunako Ahor Ankobea II, has commended President John Atta Mills for abolishing the Member of Parliament's Common Fund and replaced it with Constituency Development Fund.

Obrifo Ahor Ankobea told the GNA in an interview that the MP's Common Fund had been the bone of contention between MPs and District, Municipal and Metropolitan Chief Executives, especially when the Chief Executive and the MP are not from the same party.

He said this had retarded development in the communities and added that its abolishing would bring some peace into the assemblies.

Obrifo Ahunako Ahor Ankobea appealed to the government to involve chiefs in the disbursement of the fund to ensure that it is not politicised "as we chiefs are known to be neutral when it comes to partisan politics."

He urged chiefs and queens to get involved in selecting suitable candidates for their electoral areas in the upcoming district level election.

Obrifo Ahunako Ahor Ankobea said since the development of communities was with the assemblies, it was proper for chiefs and queens to ensure that they elected people who could articulate their concerns at assembly meetings.

He appealed to the government to ensure that the guideline for selecting government appointees to the assemblies was strictly followed.

The Paramount Chief said many a time these appointees were selected without the knowledge of chiefs and added 93this time we will not allow this to happen."

Obrifo Ahor Ankobea also appealed to chiefs and queens to ensure that their people offered themselves for counting during the upcoming population and housing census.

"Government needs to know our number so that it can plan our development," he said and the told his people they could only get their fair share of the national cake when the government knows the number of people living in Gomoa.