Cape Coast, Sept. 1, GNA-President John Agyekum Kufuor has announced the decision of the government to elevate Cape Coast from a municipality to a metropolis.

Additionally, the government is supporting the University of Cape Coast (UCC) to set up a medical school.

President Kufuor, who stated these when he addressed a durbar of the chiefs and people of the Oguaa traditional area to climax the celebration of this year's Fetu Afahye festival, said these are meant to acknowledge the immense contribution of the area to national development.

This year's festival is being celebrated on the theme: "celebrating Cape Coast and her heroes".

Both residents and visitors defied an intermittent shower and thronged to the Victoria (Jubilee) Park, where they were treated to traditional drumming and dancing by the various Asafo companies. The President noted that, in line with the vision of promoting businesses and wealth creation, a $4 million dollar market complex would be built in the township.

He noted that Cape Coast has, through its schools, nurtured most of Ghana's prominent citizens, who he said, are "indebted to Cape Coast" The President reiterated the determination of the government to improve living conditions for the people in the region and mentioned the construction of the Mallam-Yamoransa road and the improvement of water supply systems as some of the projects being undertaken to help ensure this.

He also told the people that the parliamentary select committee on sports has recommended the construction of a new sports stadium for the municipality and assured them of his commitment towards the project. The President told the people that the parliamentary select committee on sports has recommended the construction of a new sports stadium for the municipality and assured them of his commitment towards the project.

He also mentioned the capitation grant and the school feeding programme and tasked parents to take advantage of these interventions to send their children to school. He stressed the importance of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) and said it was meant to provide employment for the youth.

On the energy crisis, he re-affirmed government's commitment towards improving the situation and mentioned, the provision of energy saving bulbs and the construction of the Bui dam as some of the interventions being made to address it. He assured the people that with the discovery of oil, the country had a bright future.

In his welcoming address, the Omanhene, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, had commended the government for its contribution towards the development of the township and the region as a whole. He specifically mentioned the construction of the Mallam -Yamoransa road and the 'Jubilee Park' as some of the projects the people are grateful for and appealed to the President for the construction of a new stadium in the town. He advised the people to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) and to refrain from acts that would put them at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS.

Osabarima Atta, urged the people to contribute towards the socio-economic development of the area, stressing that "nobody will come and develop it for you" and announced that levies would soon be introduced towards the construction of a palace.

According to him, this year's festival was to celebrate "the heroes of Cape Coast", such as John Mensah Sarbah, Jacob Wilson Sey and Reverend Philip Quaicoo, who played prominent roles during the colonial era, and Professor Jophus Anamuah-Mensah, Vice -Chancellor of the University of Education and Colonel Frank George Bernasko (rtd). He, in this regard, tasked the youth to emulate them so as to enable them to contribute constructively to the development of the area.

President Kufuor, later donated GHC22,000 and some traditional drinks to support the festival, and another GHC2 2,000 towards a special Afahye match between the two local rivals, Dwarfs and Vipers.