Drobo (B/A) Nov 5 GNA - Professor Christopher Ameyaw Akumfi, Minister of Ports, Railways and Harbours at the weekend urged traditional authorities to help eliminate chieftaincy disputes, which have stalled the development in the area. some areas in the country. He exhorted the royal families to be wary of 'destoolment and enstoolment contractors' which inadvertently by their acts through wealth and influence sow seeds of discord among royal families.

The Minister was, on behalf of President John Agyekum Kufuor, addressing a grand durbar of chiefs and people of Drobo Traditional Area in Jaman South District of Brong Ahafo to climax the weeklong twin celebration of the Munufie Kese Festival and the 25th anniversary of the enstoolment of Beyeeman Bosea Gyinantwi 1V, Omanhene of the area. Professor Akumfi noted with regret that the country's pursuance of democracy and respect for human rights had rather opened the floodgates for the show of disrespect for authority, especially among the youth. "Cases that could be conveniently settled in the palace, as used to be in the past, are now dragged in court, plunging communities and families into financial crisis and stalled development", he said. The Minister stated that these were challenges for traditional authorities to tackle to ensure respect for authority among the youth and steady development.

"It is sad to note that individuals who are not royals of stools or skins exhibit sheer bravado with their money and influence to ascend such stools, igniting unnecessary chieftaincy disputes", Professor Ameyaw Akumfi added.

He advised traditional authorities to ensure the peaceful rotation on the ascension of stools and skins among contesting royal families to eliminate chieftaincy disputes.

Professor Ameyaw Akumfi commended the chiefs and people of Drobo for maintaining peace and development in the area and gave assurance of the government's continued assistance to them.

On the strike action by members of NAGRAT, he urged all to exercise restraint as the government and stakeholders were working to come out with a comprehensive salary structure for all workers. "We cannot take a week or two to resolve the salary discrepancies, it is an on-going process", he added.

The Minister commended the chiefs and people for their untiring efforts to develop the area and announced that President Kufuor had given instruction for the construction of a model girls' Primary/ JSS Jubilee School at Drobo to mark Ghana's 50th independence anniversary.

Professor Ameyaw Akumfi presented 10 million cedis and drinks to the chiefs and people.

In a speech delivered for him, the Vice President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama stated that, many policies initiated by government were meant to reduce poverty among the people and to serve as a lasting legacy for the nation.

He mentioned the National Health Insurance Scheme, capitation grants and school feeding programme for basic schools, youth employment programme, as well as the on-going immunisation campaign, which, he urged the people to embrace to have their children immunized.

"By this, you would be contributing to the eventual reduction in child mortality, maternal morbidity and the reduction in malaria and other diseases.

"This is one of the ways we can meet the Millennium Development Goals by the year 2015", the Vice President stated.

Alhaji Mahama urged Ghanaians to redouble efforts to develop their communities through self-help, hard work and entrepreneurship, saying government intervention could only complement such efforts, but not as substitute for their communal spirit and collective effort. Mr Ignatius Baffour Awuah, Regional Minister, commended the Omanhene, for being a symbol of unity among the citizens of the area. He urged the Omanhene to apply this quality to help the Regional House of Chiefs to solve the numerous chieftaincy disputes confronting it.

Beyeeman Bosea Gyinantwi, commended the government for its assistance in providing socio-economic and infrastructure support and services such as schools, medical care, water, road networks, telecommunications services in the area.

The Omanhene called on farmers to embrace and support government initiatives on agriculture for greater production and appealed for the release of parts of forest reserves in the area for farming purposes.

He noted that the Drobo-Sampa road needed "serious rehabilitation" and expressed the hope that the promise by the government to have the road put in good shape would be fulfilled. Several prominent citizens of the area, other individuals and organisations and bodies were presented with awards for their invaluable contributions and assistance to the developmental efforts of the chiefs and people.

They included Ms Anna Nyamekye, Deputy Minister of Food and Agriculture (Livestock) and MP for the area, VALCO Trust Fund, Oti Yeboah Timbers Ltd, Asuo Bosomadu Timbers of Berekum and Dr Kwadwo Afari Djan, Chairman of the Electoral Commission.

Messrs J. Adom Construction Limited, Drobo Community Bank, Barclays Bank of Ghana (the first bank at Drobo, Mr William Oppong, a lawyer and a three-member delegation from St Jansdal Hospital at Harderwgu in the Netherlands were also presented with awards.