Accra, Nov. 26, GNA - Mrs Elizabeth Sackey, Member of Parliament (MP) for Okaikoi North on Sunday announced her plans to involve citizens in the constituency's development agenda by soliciting their views. She said a series of durbars would be organized where citizens would express their views, concerns and desires for contemplation and possible implementation.

Issues to be discussed at such durbars include: environmental problems, road and drainage construction in the area, market development and streetlights.

Mrs Sackey was speaking at the 36th annual harvest celebration of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, Abeka.

The occasion was also used by the Youth for Christ Heritage (YUFRIST), a Christian non-governmental organization engaged in educational campaigns to promote morality and patriotism among the youth to address certain environmental problems in the Abeka community. The MP said the first durbar would be organized on December 3 2006 within the Abeka community to know the needs of the people and deliberate on government's policies as well as the national budget. "Every community has a priority need that needs to be dealt with. I am not in a position to know the real needs of the constituents and I might attempt doing something which does not please the people or which they do not really need," Mrs Sackey said justifying the need for such durbars.

She explained that the constituency had six major areas and a durbar would be held in each of these areas at different times to also solicit developmental views.

She expressed the hope that such meetings would make the people development oriented and also bring unity in the constituency. "There are on going development projects within the constituency," she said, mentioning the construction of improved drainage system and fixing of streetlights.

Mrs Sackey advised the youth to live moral lives and be patriotic, saying that true sense of patriotism means putting God first and the nation second.

The Reverend Sam Amoako, District Pastor of Abeka E. P Church, requested the MP to help facilitate the construction of roads in the area to link the community to the main roads and aid in the development of the Ashawo market, the main market in the area.

Mr. Jehoiada Amuzu, Executive Director of YUFRIST, expressed concern about the moral decadence in the societ, especially among the youth and advised them to desist from promiscuous lifestyles. He also touched on the environmental problems in the area and said issues of poor sanitation emanating from indiscriminate disposal of waste; construction of illegal structures, among others, thwarted efforts at accelerated national development. Mr Amuzu urged adults and parents to be an example to the youth by doing what was right.