Regional News of Tuesday, 13 September 2011

Source: GNA

Omanhene advise colleagues to use land as equity

Axim(W/R), Sept. 13, GNA 97 The President of Western Regional House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Lower Axim; Awulae Attibrukusu III, has called on traditional authorities to invest lands as equity. This, he said, is necessary in view of the oil discovery in the Region, which is luring a number of investors to purchase large tracts of land.

Awulae Attibrukusu therefore charged chiefs to desist from outright sale of lands to potential investors.

Awulae Attibrukusu was speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Axim on Monday, when the MTN Ghana Foundation presented a cheque for GH?3,000, MTN recharge cards, assorted drinks and MTN souvenirs towards the celebration of the annual Kundum festival.

He said land in the traditional area should be preserved for future generations, hence the need as custodians of the resource to protect and invest in it wisely.

"I wonder why some chiefs are selling 2,000 acres of land to investors instead of investing in businesses so that future generations will benefit?

"A chief without land is not a chief at all and we should avoid such mistakes or else posterity will never forgive us, he stressed.

Mr Samuel Appiah, a Senior Manager for South-West Business District of MTN Ghana Foundation, said it was a delight for MTN to partner traditional leaders and their people to celebrate their heritage.

"It is in that same spirit that we are here (Axim) today to wish you well for this year's Kundum festival celebrations and to join you to pray for a bumper harvest of food and plenty supply of fish," he added.

Mr Appiah noted that MTN had declared September as a data month to drum home the need for Ghanaians to increase their use of Internet services in order to meet the needs of their valued customers.