President John Dramani Mahama has stated that the creation of new districts and constituencies in the country was to accelerate national development, and not for political gratification as perceived by some people.

He said apart from providing jobs for the people, the creation of districts would lead to the provision of basic amenities such as health and educational facilities, good roads, police stations and decentralized offices to help expand those areas.

President Mahama was addressing the chiefs and people of Aburi during the celebration of their annual Odwira festival, on Saturday.

The festival brought together the people of Aburi in Ghana and abroad, to appraise the socio-economic development of the area, and to map out new strategies to improve upon previous performances.

President Mahama said the creation of a separate district with its capital at Aburi would result in the creation of jobs in the area, to prevent the perennial rural-urban drift of youth for non-existent jobs.

The President dismissed speculations that government had sold the Aburi Botanical Gardens, “but rather, government is looking for a viable investment organization that will partner the Department of Parks and gardens to reactivate the area for viable tourism activities.”

President Mahama announced that plans were far advanced for commencement of work on the Aburi-Nsawam road, which he said was not only an economic route to the people of those communities, but for the benefit of the entire country.

The President earlier attended the funeral of the late lawyer Ohene Djan in Akropong, and proceeded to Osiem to participate in the Saviour Church programme.

Otubuor Djan Kwasi, Chief of Aburi, commended the National Democratic Congress government for continuing all the development projects that were initiated by the previous administration, and pledged: “I will work with any government that will come now or in future.”

He appealed to government to complete the GHC120,000 Craft Village in Aburi, so that craftsmen and craftswomen could use the facility to better their lot.