Nangode (U/E), Oct. 25, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Monday stressed the need to regularise the activities of small-scale mining operators to maximise their contributions to national development.

He said such regularisation would help reduce environmental degradation and minimise the spate of accidents at the sites, which in most cases resulted in the loss of lives.

It would also enhance the mobilisation of local revenue for the funding of development projects.

President Kufuor was addressing a durbar of the chiefs and people of the Nabdam Traditional Area at Nangode, near Bolgatanga, on the second day of his three-day official tour of the Upper East Region. President Kufuor said the gold potentials in the area was well known and could attract more investments to the area.

Earlier in a welcoming speech, Bagnaba Alex Pukpeog, Paramount Chief of the Nabdam Traditional Area, thanked Government for giving the area its fair share of infrastructure development, citing the extension of electricity, provision of roads, schools and a vocational training institute.

He appealed to the Government to assist in the establishment of small-scale mining companies in the area to provide jobs for the youth. He further asked for the provision of credit facility and sheanut-processing plants to women in the area, saying it would help reduce poverty.

Naba Pukpeog urged Government to appoint a native of the Nabdam area as District Chief Executive for the newly created Talensi-Nabdam District, since by mutual agreement the District Capital was sent to Tongo in the Talensi Area.

At Zebilla in the Bawku West District, President Kufuor addressed another durbar of the chiefs and people of the area. He urged them to ensure that they elected hard working and selfless people to represent them in Parliament for the continuous development of the area.