Regional News of Saturday, 29 January 2005

Source: GNA

Use festivals to generate adequate funds for development

Gomoa Onyadze (C/R), Jan. 29, GNA - The Chief of Gomoa-Obokor, near Apam, in the Central Region, Nana Okofo Acquah IX has urged Ghanaians to use annual festivals of their respective towns and villages to generate adequate funds to develop such communities.

This, Nana Acquah explained, would reduce their heavy dependence on Government and other organisations for the implementation of their development projects.

Addressing the chiefs and people of Gomoa-Onyadze to round off their annual Akwambo Festival, Nana Acquah stressed that the time had come for Ghanaians to be quiet moderate in their enjoyment during annual festivals and rather inject more funds in education and social developments of their communities.

He appealed to the Government to do all it could to connect Gomoa-Onyadze, Gomoa-Otsew Jukwa and the Noguchi Memorial Clinic situated between the two towns to the National Electricity Grid to enable nurses of the clinic to store vital drugs there.

Abusuapanyin Kweku Acquah of Onyadze said the Clinic catered for more than 15,000 farmers, fishermen, fishmongers and workers living in Onyadze, Otsew Jukwa, Mprumem, Mankoadze, Amanfi, Bewadze and other farming centres in the area and it was, therefore, important for the state to give serious attention to the clinic.

He said community would give the required support to encourage health workers, who have accepted to live in the remote areas, to assist the vulnerable farmers and fishermen there.

Madam Vivian Okine, Principal Nursing Officer in-charge of the Clinic, urged the people to test their health status, particularly on HIV/AIDS.

Mr Albert K. Budu, an Opinion Leader of the Town, impressed upon both resident and non-resident citizens of Onyadze to ensure regular payment of their development levies to ensure the speedy execution of their electrification and other projects that the leadership of the Town had initiated.