Accra, Oct. 21, GNA - The Regent of the Awomefia Stool, Torgbui Sri III on Friday appealed to the people of Anlo to put away their political differences and work towards peace and development of the area.

He further called on the people to join forces to fight ethnocentrism, as it had been the main bane of development saying: "We cannot progress if we are divided on ethnic and political lines." Torgbui Srii, who was addressing the launch of this year's Hogbetsotso festival in Accra, expressed optimism that the occasion would provide adequate platform for reconciliation and harnessing the potentials of the people for accelerated development.

He cautioned the people to refrain from utterances and actions that had the tendency to inflame passions and throw the area into turmoil. The Keta District Security Committee (DISEC) announced on Friday that it had, with immediate effect, suspended all activities in relation to the celebration of this year's Hogbetsotso Festival of the chiefs and people of Anlo Traditional Area scheduled for November at Anloga in the Volta Region.

The DISEC, in a statement, attributed the suspension to the "slippery security situation in the Anlo Traditional Area." It mentioned the confrontation between the Adzorkli Drumming Group and a faction claiming to belong to the Awadada of Anlo as one of the reasons for the suspension.

DISEC said it was of the view that the proposed, "Reconciliation Hogbetsotso Festival cannot come on because there should be somebody to preside over the reconciliation".

Besides, it said it was reliably informed that the Awoamefia Stool case was before a court and anything done without the consent of the court would be tantamount to contempt of court.

Torgbui Sri III noted that the educational standards in the Region had fallen considerably and attributed it to lack of parental care, high cost of living and indiscipline among other things.

"I, therefore, urge parents and teachers to collaborate and never relent in their efforts to monitor the children as this will help to improve the present deplorable state of education."

He commended the Government for introducing the capitation grant to support basic schools education adding, "this will make education accessible to all children of school going age and help in the nation's socio-economic development".

"As Government is contributing its quota, it is incumbent on us as parents to be more responsible in seeking the welfare of our children." Torgbui Sri said the traditional council had established an education fund to support brilliant and needy children. This year's durbar has been scheduled for November 5 to remember the exodus of the Anlo's from the tyrannical rule of Torgbui Agorkorli of Notsie to their present places.