Yamoransa (C/R), March 31, GNA - Municipal, District Assemblies and traditional authorities in the Central Region, have been urged to initiate programmes to improve the economy.

Mr Ato Essuman, the region's representative on the Council of State, gave the advise during his visit to parts of the region. He noted that the present rating of the area as the fourth from the bottom of the poverty ladder should be a matter of great concern of citizens and friends of the region.

"The region is endowed with many natural and human resources so there should be no justification for us to be poor," the Council of State Member, stated and added that "what we need to do to come out of that shameful position is to harness resources to tap the potentials of the area".

"We should not under any circumstances fold our arms and resign to fate that after all we are poor and there is nothing that we can do." Mr Essuman, who is also the Chief Director of the Ministry of Education and Sports, observed that the poverty tag adversely affected education in the region, which was once the cradle of education in the country was now lagging behind other areas.

A small percentage of students from the region are enrolled in the endowed institutions in the region, and asked why the situation should be allowed to continue.

Mr Essuman expressed preparedness to lead a crusade to change the negative perception and stated that he had taken the initiative with some friends to register a non-governmental organisation (NGO), the Social Development Network Foundation (SODNET) to facilitate the development of the region and called for support.

At Saltpond, Mr Essuman appealed to Mr A. K. Aidoo, Managing Director of AKAIDOO Enterprise, a building contractor who had refused to hand-over a building to the Police because the government owed him an unspecified amount to do so while arrangements were being made to pay him. This followed an appeal by the Chiefs of the town and the District Police Command.