Accra, May 6, GNA - Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama on Tuesday expressed disquiet about the rising incidence of chieftaincy conflicts which, he said, was portraying Ghana as a violence prone country. He said the chieftaincy institution was an honourable one that called for recourse to due process in settling disputes rather than the use of arms at the least provocation.

"The numerous chieftaincy conflicts are bringing disrespect to the institution and a great concern to government," he said, when he interacted with Nana Kwadwo Nyarko III, Omanhene (Paramount Chief) of Prang Traditional Area in the Brong-Ahafo Region, at the Castle, Osu. Vice President Mahama assured the chief, who had catalogued the needs of his traditional area, that the provision of potable water, health and educational facilities are part of the priority of the Executive.

Nana Nyarko's requests included the upgrading of Prang Senior High School to a model school, a bus for the school, the raising of the local health centre to a hospital, provision of pipe-borne water and the tarring of Prang/Kintampo road.

Vice President Mahama said the government's school upgrading project was in the second phase and reassured the chief that Prang would be captured in the future.

He said upgrading of Prang/Kintampo road was hit by financial crisis and that government was sourcing assistance to stay on course. Vice President Mahama said Prang Senior High School would be a beneficiary of the 100 buses government had imported. Nana Nyarko, who led a five-member delegation to the Castle, said his mission was to impress upon government that the high profile assurances the area had received about the execution of the projects was delaying. He expressed optimism that he had seen signs and heard speculations about the implementation of the projects.