Sunyani (Brong Ahafo) - The chiefs and people of Badu in the Wenchi District have appealed to the government to make the town the capital of the proposed Tain District.

At a press conference in Sunyani at which Nana Asare Boakye 11, Krontihene, read a copy of the petition to the government on the issue, the people maintained that Badu has all the criteria to be made the capital of the proposed new district.

''We wish to draw attention that Badu, a major maize growing community, has a larger population than any other town in the area and far ahead of all the towns and more specifically Nsawkaw (the proposed capital of the new district) in the provision of economic, social and administrative amenities.''

"To mention a few, Badu has well-established schools, including a senior secondary/technical school and two preparatory schools, two banking institutions, electricity, pipe-borne water system, hotel facilities and a clinic".

The petition, signed by all the chiefs, youth representatives and some opinion leaders said: "These existing facilities would be at the disposal and as utility services to the staff and other personnel of the new District Assembly".

The chiefs said Badu traditional rulers, the youth and opinion leaders were not informed and therefore, were not represented at a forum in Wenchi last week at which Nsawkaw was chosen to be the capital of the proposed new district.

They said it was illogical to choose Nsawkaw as the capital of the new district because it was at a central position, regardless of other salient factors. "In our opinion we do not think that the citing of Accra as capital of Ghana was based on its geographical position and if that was the case at all, we do not see Accra in the centre of the country. Similarly, Wenchi is the capital of Wenchi District but is not located in the centre of the district".

Nana Asare said Badu, with a population of 9,600, was more populated than all the other major towns in the area, including Nsawkaw, which has 4,500 people, Banda, 5,500 and Seikwa 7,000.