Kumasi, Sept 12, GNA - Prof Kwesi Andam, the Vice Chancellor of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), has descended on well-to-do Fantes for virtually being apathetic towards the development of education in Fante communities.

The result, he said, was the deprivation of most Fante communities of basic social amenities and other facilities needed to speed up progress.

Prof Andam was launching the Fantes Day celebration of the Ashanti Regional Branch of the Mfantseman Council in Kumasi. He said such a negative development called for serious attention and brainstorming by all well-meaning Fantes to change the trend since education was not only the key to but also the bedrock for development. The Vice Chancellor who was recently installed the "Nwomasuahene" of the Ekumfi Traditional Area in the Central Region, could not come to terms as to why Fantes, being one of the pioneers to have embraced formal education, have now had most of the youth in the communities suddenly loosing interest in education.

"If we do not critically consider this development and address it, we will put impediments in the way of our kinsmen and the youth in their efforts to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of the nation", he said.

Dr Wilhelmina Donkor, a Senior Lecturer at the KNUST, said, "our migration to other communities should not be a barrier to our going back home to complement government efforts at enhancing educational development".

She was not happy that all over the country Fantes had played a significant role, and in different capacities, towards the development of the country "but are reluctant to invest in their own home land". Mr Sampson Boafo, the Ashanti Regional Minister, commended Fantes in the region for being peace loving and law-abiding.