THE CENTRAL Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur has urged the Deputy Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (UK), Mr. John Prescott, to adopt the region and help develop it.

He pointed out the region was going through difficult times due to the collapse of many factories, and mentioned Komenda Sugar Factory and Saltpong Ceramics as some of the industrial units that had collapsed.

The Central Regional Minister made these remarks when Mr. Prescott paid a courtesy call on him at his residency on Wednesday.

Nana Arthur said the region had many colonial edifices especially schools, mentioning Philip Queque Boys School as the first elementary school in Ghana, as well as Mfantsipim Secondary School which Kofi Annan, the retired UN diplomat, attended.

He told Mr Prescott that Central Region was the hub of tourism in the country, stressing that almost all the slaves that were transported to Europe, Americas and the Caribbean passed through Cape Coast and Elmina Castles.

Mr. Prescott said Ghana had an important role to play as regards reducing child-trafficking and poverty in Africa, explaining that after 200 years, human trafficking was still rife on the continent.

He urged the Ghana Government to intensify the fight against the menace.

He reminded Ghanaians and Africans in the Diaspora to help in the development of the continent and the country.

Mr. Prescott, who was in the country to witness Ghana’s 50th Independence anniversary celebrations, urged Ghanaians to identify with their own history.

He congratulated President Kufuor for being elected chairman of the African Unity (AU) and appeal to him to use his position to promote peace in Africa.

He later visited the Omanhene of Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, at Oguaa.

Osabarima Kwesi Atta said the people of Cape Coast expected some benefits from the British, since the colonialists implemented their policies from there.

He called for sister-city relationships between British cities and Cape Coast.

Thence, Prescott visited Anomabo and Elmina Castle. He was accompanied by the Minister of Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Sampson Kweku Boafo and the British High Commissioner to Ghana.