The Afigya-Kwabre District Assembly has vowed to get tough with chiefs thwarting its efforts at promoting proper physical planning and development of the communities.

Mr Kwaku Oppong-Kyekyeku Kaakyire, the District Chief Executive (DCE), said the situation where “lay-outs” are disregarded and reserved areas under the planning scheme are sold to developers, would have to stop.

He said although the assembly does not own lands, it has a mandate to oversee the planning and use of these lands.

It is on the basis of this that it would not turn a blind eye to communities turning into slums.

Mr Oppong-Kyekyeku was speaking at a community durbar held at Sasa to keep the people adequately informed about the activities of the assembly and how its resources are being disbursed to bring socio-economic progress.

It provided the opportunity to gauge the concerns and felt needs of the chiefs and the people, and deliberate on the way forward.

The DCE expressed discomfort with the growing encroachment on public lands – schools and sanitary sites, saying that, the assembly would do everything to protect those lands.

He called for the support, cooperation and understanding of the people to ensure that the right things are done.

The strong sentiments come amid the destruction of the area by developers given its proximity to Kumasi.

Mr Oppong-Kyekyeku reminded them to pay their rates and levies to enable the assembly to support the development of the communities.

He noted that its ability to carry through its development agenda – provide the basic infrastructure and social amenities, was dependent on the strength of its finances.

The people called for more of such interactions to promote transparency and good governance.

They also pleaded with the assembly to find the resources to complete school projects, started in the community.