The geographical confinement of an area into a Traditional Council is not a panacea for fast development there, James Gunu a former District Chief Executive of Akatsi-North District has stated.

He said importantly, unity and cooperation among those chiefs, was the best bet for promoting development.

Traditional Councils or no traditional councils, it was unity among chiefs and the dignity and respect earned from subjects, that would ensure development, Mr Gunu stated.

He was addressing the inauguration of a 12-member Executive Committee of the Ave-Avenor Council of Chiefs, a working committee to run chieftaincy and development related matters and particularly, to pursue Traditional Council status for the area.

Mr Gunu said internal wrangling, jostling and land litigation had bedeviled some areas, making mockery of the traditional council status they gained.

He lauded the current Assembly administration for continuing projects started during his tenure, a policy which was enhancing the progress of the area.

Dr. Prince Amuzu Sodoke, current DCE, expressed the Assembly’s support for the Ave Council of Chiefs and all its committees.

He said the Assembly had refurbished its former Assembly hall and would supply furniture and equipment, so the place could be used as the Council’s secretariat.

The DCE said there was the need to resolve the demarcation line between the Anlo and Asogli Traditional areas.

Dr. Sodoke said his administration had initiated 50 fresh projects in areas of education, health, roads and drainages, water, agriculture and employment, some of which had already been completed.

He said 10 water closet toilet facilities were being constructed for various areas and also six solar-powered mechanized boreholes at Ave-Hevi, Kpeduhoe and Posmonu, among others.

Other projects include supply of150 mono desks for the Ave Senior High School, concrete drains construction at Afiadenyigba, fixing of 270 new street lights and repair of old ones in the communities, CHP compounds and construction of surgical theatre and maternity block at Dakpa Health Center, the DCE stated.

Dr. Sodoke said 50,000 cashew seedlings had been nursed by the Assembly, under the planting for food and employment project, for free letting to youths in particular, who want to go into such plantations, saying palm seedlings were also being nursed under the same scheme.

He said 5,000 hectares of land was needed for the projects, and appealed to chiefs to release lands to the youth for the scheme.

Dr. Donald Agumenu, a native of the area, who is the Executive Director, Water for Rural Africa, an NGO, appealed to the chiefs to take advantage of every initiative by Government,

Togbi Nyamekor Glakpe V, Paramount Chief, Ave-Dakpa, and current President of the Council of Chiefs, commended the outgoing executives for resolving chieftaincy conflicts and bringing peace, in their 14-year tenure, promising to push hard for the traditional status.

Togbi Hodzi Dunyo IV, Chief of Atanve, the Council’s first vice president, said the Council would establish a judicial committee to help resolve chieftaincy issues.

The committee, with Togbi Tamekloe XI as Second Vice and Mr. Mac Solo Dziwornu-Zida as General Secretary, were sworn into office by the presiding magistrate of the District Magistrate Court at Dakpa.