Fomena (Ash), May 3, GNA - Mr Akwasi Afrifa, Member of Parliament (MP) for Fomena, in the Adansi North District of Ashanti, has called for active participation in communal activities to help reduce poverty at the community level.

According to him, poverty reduction would be a mirage, should people fail to participate in communal activities intended to improve their lives.

Speaking at this year's Constitution Week celebration organised by the National Commission for civic Education (NCCE) at Fomena, Mr Afrifa said reducing poverty meant providing the basic needs of the people. He said poverty was the major problem at war with the nation and that was why government had put in efforts at reducing it.

The MP expressed dissatisfaction about the way public property were handled and called for a culture of maintenance. Mr Afrifa also appealed to the citizenry to be law-abiding, saying,

"let us do the right thing at all times".

The MP advised Ghanaians to appreciate the payment of taxes so that the government and the district assemblies could generate enough funds for development.

"Let us honour our tax obligations as good citizens of Ghana", Mr Afrifa said.

Mr Emmanuel Kofi Antwi, the Obuasi Municipal Director of NCCE said the celebration of the annual Constitution Week was to create an environment for all Ghanaians to develop an increased and sustained interest and participate in the democratic and constitutional process. "It is the expectation of the NCCE that increased and sustained participation in the democratic process will lead to the achievement of good governance, social and political stability, development and national unity", he said.

Mr Antwi was satisfied that after 10 years of the sensitisation of the citizenry, the Commission could say "with modest pride" that Ghanaians were now fairly conversant with the main principles and objectives of the 1992 Constitution.

He said the vision of the Commission now was to educate the people on the meaning and relevance of decentralisation and the benefits of effective participation in local governance. Nana Kwae Pinsan II, Kusahene, presided over the function.