Keta, June 18, GNA - Mr Joseph Amenowode, the Volta Regional Minister, has appealed to the chiefs and people of the region to avoid protracted chieftaincy conflicts that have dogged some parts of the country. He said the region had limited time and resources that must be used for development rather than on avoidable disputes and conflicts. Mr Amenowode was addressing the chiefs and people of the Ketu South District and the Keta Municipal area separately on Thursday. He said an alternative bridge is to be built on the Volta River at Dofor-Adidome to ease pressure on the Sogakope and the Adomi bridges and open up the area to commerce and development.

Mr Amenowode said the 2.6 million cedis shortfall of the 3.2 million cedis worth of exercise books earmarked for distribution to pupils of basic schools in the region had been released. He said 29,016 pieces of school uniforms are to be sewn in the region in addition to the 18,578 pieces from Accra.

Mr Amenowode advised the people to stop smuggling petroleum products and cocoa to Togo in order to help maximize revenue for development. Mr Frank Amable, the Ketu South District Chief Executive, said 100 communities are being connected to the national electricity grid and potable water.

Mr Sylvester Tornyeava, the Keta Municipal Chief Executive, (appealed to government to speed up action on plans for a defence wall to save Akplortorkor, Dzita and Anyanui areas from total destruction by the sea. During open forums the people asked government to deepen exploration works for the discovery of crude oil in the Keta Basin and the early completion of the Aflao/Akatsi portion of the Aflao-Accra highway.