New -Akrade, Nov 1, GNA- Vice President John Mahama has hinted that tree stumps would be removed from the Volta Lake by the end of 2010 to make traveling on the lake safe.

He said the project apart from making traveling on the Volta lake safe, would also open job avenues for the youth since the project would create a lot of economic activities.

The Vice President announced this in a speech read on his behalf by the Deputy Minister for Transport, Mrs. Dzifa Aku Attivor at the Abedru Festival of the Chiefs and People of New Akrade in the Asuogyaman District. In addition government was also working closely with the Ghana Maritine Authority to secure more speed boats to enable the Navy patrol the vast lake.

Mr. Mahama reiterated government's commitment in fulfilling its electoral pledge of building a better Ghana and mentioned that the promise of increasing educational access was on course as the materials for the free uniforms were being printed and soon the local dressmaking industry be given the task of sewing the uniforms.

He said the Youth in Agriculture Programme would be pushed vigorously for Ghana to be self sufficient in food production to cut down particularly on rice imports and urged the chiefs to make land available for the project. The Vice President commended the chief and his people for the establishment of an education fund and donated Gh2,000 cedis towards the fund indicating that government would support any move to improve the standards of education across the country.

Mr. Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, the Eastern Regional Minister, called on parents commit themselves improvement of education for all. He emphasized that government would play its part but the onus rested on the people to prepare their minds and do away with all negative tendencies that could obstruct the benefits of government's. Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo mentioned the 17- year- old Akwamu chieftaincy dispute which had polarized the once powerful Akwamu State and retarded its progress as one of the negative tendencies that must be resolved to prepare the area for development.

He therefore urge all feuding factions in the Akwamu dispute to allow for amicable settlement and called on the Chiefs and People of New Akrade who had a stake in the Akwamu issue to take a step for the amicable resolution of the dispute.

Mr. Ofosu-Ampofo pointed out that the area which sacrificed its endowment for the establishment of the Akosombo Dam to generate electricity for the whole country should have been better developed but now even royalties from the Volta River Authority (VRA) could not enjoyed by the people because the area does not have a paramount Chief to take charge. The Chief of New Akrade Nana Okrukata V earlier, called on the Regional Minister to use his office to intervene in the Akwamu Chieftaincy Dispute.

Nana Okrukata appealed to government to return all Akwamu Lands acquired for the construction of the dam but had not been used till date to its owners as had been done with the Ga Lands. He disclosed that to raise the fallen standards of education in the area, he had instituted an education endowment fund to cater for poor but brilliant children and established an Information Communication Technology (ICT) centre to teach the children the use of computer. 01 Nov.09