Yalugu (U/E) Jan. 17, GNA - The Yalugu community in the Binduri constituency of the Upper East Region have congratulated the Deputy Upper East Regional Minister, Mrs. Lucy Awini for her appointment. The Chief of the area, Naaba Agorgi Awini, noted that Mrs. Awini was a blessing not only for Yalugu but for the region as whole and said women were developmental tools and needed more support to discharge that role effectively.

Naaba Awini said the people of Yalugu had seen Mrs. Awini as a proactive, determined, dedicated, honest and above all morally upright woman and have decided to honour her in other to motivate her in delivering quality service to the people of Ghana. He said he and his people have declared their support to the administration of the Deputy Minister. Naaba Awini said even though the economy is not on a sound footing, there was the need for Ghanaians to be patient and have faith in God.

He entreated the citizenry to see themselves as one people who are gearing towards a common destiny. On behalf of the people Naaba Awini instituted an educational fund which was named after the Deputy Minister. The fund is to support brilliant but needy children. It is also intended to take care of educational projects, health and other social amenities in the community. Social Congratulations Awini 2 Yalugu (U/E) Naba Awini said people in the area were basically farmers and contributing immensely to the nation's vision to achieve self-sufficiency in food production and therefore appealed to the government to provide the community with some social infrastructure such as market, good roads, electricity and portable drinking water. Other requests included the provision of credit facility especially to women in the community, quality health service, and education to improve on the living standards in the area. He asked the government to provide the community with water pumps to enable farmers to venture into dry season farming. Mrs. Awini appealed to the people to see education as a paramount component in developing one's self; and said parents should allow their children especially the girl child to go to school and not to engage them in activities which would jeopardize their education. The Municipal Director of Education, Mr. Eugene Zongo-Naah, asked parents to emulate the example of the Deputy Minister's parents by giving her formal education, and said education was the only way to seek freedom and self development. Mr .Zongo-Naah urged girls in school to take their education seriously and aspire to become future leaders. Commenting on the conflict in the Bawku Municipality, he said it had affected the quality of education in the area leading to the lack of teachers, low teacher concentration and refusal of teachers to accept postings there. Mr. Zongo-Naah said 88 teachers left the municipality while 13 per cent of children between 4-12 years were withdrawn from schools in the area for other places 17 Jan. 10