Ahimakrom (W/R), July 16, GNA - Mr. Solomon Opoku, Assembly Member for Ahimakrom in the Bia District of the Western Region on Monday, appealed to the government to connect the area to the national electricity grid to promote socio-economic development.

He said Ahimakrom had not seen any major development in the past 50 years leading to the drift of the youth to urban areas. "As a major cocoa growing centre, there is a huge capital flight, resulting in economic activities grinding to a halt at the end of each cocoa season and only getting better the next harvesting season," he stated.

Mr Opoku appealed to the government to increase the compensation package for cocoa farmers whose farms were attacked by the swollen-shoot disease.

The Assembly Member pointed out that the extension of electricity to the area would attract investors to the area to curb the rural-urban drift.

Mr. Opoku said the only public basic school in the community lacked a kindergarten.

He said that in spite of the fact that registration for the National Health Insurance Scheme was conducted in the area about four tears ago the people had not been issued with their registration cards. The only health centre in the area, which is privately owned, had not been given the accreditation to run the health insurance, he said. The clinic also lacked the capacity to deal with emergency situations and patients were usually referred to Yawmatwa, a neighbouring community.

He stated that the people did not have access to potable water. Mr. Opoku said unit committee members in the area had been reminded to check the activities of illegal chain-saw operators in their communities.