Mr Enoch Quaye, the Mankralo of Kwashiekuma in the Ga West Municipality, has appealed to non-government organizations to come to the aid of the community with the establishment of vocational centres for the youth.

He alleged that the farmlands around Kwashiekuma and its surrounding communities had been destroyed by sand-winners, thus making the people, especially the youth, idle.

The situation, he said, had made the youth indulge in social vices like teenage pregnancies, marijuana smoking and alcoholism.

Mr Quaye, also known as Teacher Quaye, made the appeal when the Obutu citizens in Kwashiekuma in the Greater-Accra Region celebrated the Obutu Festival.

He said the farmlands belonged to individual families in the communities and that revenue accrued from the sand-winning went to each house without portions to the stools.

“Such situations make the chiefs to throw their hands in despair, whilst the inhabitants live in abject poverty and they lack social amenities like clinic, toilet, portable water facilities,” he said.

Mr Quaye also pleaded for the establishment of a Senior High School to reduce the burden of the poor parents who have to struggle to get lorry fare to their children.

He called on the Municipal Assembly to do something about the only road from Amasaman to the communities, which he said was in a very deplorable state, and made the few drivers charge exorbitant fares.

“The politicians during election time they will come to make vain promises after which they will go to live their luxury. We need the road urgently.”

Teacher Quaye explained that they were the fourth generations from Awutu Bareku, and every year they celebrated the “Obutu Kor” in the like manner of the Ga-Dangmes

“The Obutu Festival is celebrated in the fifth week in August on Saturday every year. We cook the Kpokpoi, the traditional meal and sprinkle it in the ancestral homes in Kwashiekuma.

Nii Ayaa Okai, Youth Leader said: “The provision of the public toilet in Kwashiekuma is very dear to his heart,” and called on philanthropic organizations to come in to support.

“It is an eye sore to direct a stranger to use the bush as a place of convenience looking at the size of Kwashiekuma and the contemporary day of civilization. We need to call a spade a spade, we are poor and we need support, for the people to live decent lives,” he said.