Winneba, Feb 13, GNA - The Assemblyman for Dwama Electoral Area at Winneba, Mr Yakubu H. Barry, has expressed concern about the long chieftaincy dispute and political intolerance in the Effutu Traditional Area, which is retarding social, economic and cultural development. He stated that peace and love had lost their value in the town, which is the capital of the Awutu-Effutu-Senya district as a result of misunderstanding among the people.

Mr Barry, who is also the Chairman of the Winneba Concerned Citizens Association, told the Ghana News Agency that political intolerance and chieftaincy dispute had crippled infrastructure advancement and called for a change of attitude to reverse the trend. He stated that the people of Winneba especially the youth could not express their opinion as a result of disunity and the un-co-operative attitude of certain people in high positions in the area. Mr Barry appealed to the people sowing seeds of discord and "knocking heads together" to desist from their action, which was hampering accelerated economic growth.

The Assemblyman noted that potential investors had no interest in areas experiencing disputes and political problems. He noted that the area had good beach resorts, which could be developed to attract tourists but said "with lack of knowledge my people perish".

The Assemblyman expressed regret that some government officials had taken undue advantage of the situation to worsen the plight of the people and said land reserved for future development had been sold hampering the future expansion of the town.

He called on the people to throw their weight behind the District Chief Executive, Mr Solomon Abam Quarshie Quaye, to solve the problems in the areas of education, sanitation, health, roads and poverty reduction to improve the living standard of the people. He urged the MP for Effutu, Mr Samuel Owusu Adjei, not to be distracted by the chieftaincy dispute and political differences in the area and to focus on programmes to ensure a better living condition for the people.

The Assemblyman appealed to the MP to impress upon the District Assembly to look for alternative ways of getting ride of filth that had engulfed the town especially along the beach to avert an epidemic.