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Atimpoku, (E/R) Dec. 15,GNA - Vice President Aliu Mahama at the start of his working visit to the Eastern Region on Monday urged Ghanaians to ensure that peace and stability were sustained in Ghana so that the Government's determination to ensure economic growth and strengthen democracy would succeed.
Speaking at a durbar of chiefs and people of Asuogyaman at Atimpoku to kick-start his three-day outreach programme, Vice President Mahama stressed that peace and stability were crucial for progress. He said: "I have come here as part of our outreach programme to interact with you to know your concerns at first hand so that we can resolve them. But I would like to appeal to you to give peace a chance, so that the Government can serve you better because without peace there can be no meaningful development."
Vice President Mahama, therefore, advised the people to cooperate with their traditional authorities to solve land and chieftaincy disputes.
Disputes, he said, would discourage investors from doing business in their areas.
He said the Government would remain consistent with its policy to undertake development projects to improve their standard of living, adding that it only required their support and cooperation to facilitate progress.
Vice president Mahama stressed that poverty should be considered as the common enemy of Ghanaians, which should be tackled mainly through the provision of quality education.
That was why, he said, the Government was constructing many educational facilities across the nation.
Responding to a request from Nana Amoo Bekwai, Acting President of the Akwamu Traditional Council, that the people of Akwamu should be represented on the Board of the Volta River Authority (VRA), Vice President Mahama pledged that their representative would be included when the Board was reconstituted.
On their request for compensation for the land acquired for the VRA, he said the issue would be given serious attention. Vice President Mahama advised them to take anti HIV/AIDS campaigns seriously, to check the spread of the disease as the Eastern Region had the highest prevalent rate of 7 per cent in the country.
Mr Kwadwo Adjei Darko, Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, urged Ghanaians to exercise restraint and tolerance as the Government pursued development programmes to better their lot.
"We have suddenly become impatient and intolerant and are now demanding that all our problems be solved at once," Mr Adjei Darko said. "However, this should not be the case because the solution must be strategically planned and well implemented so that they will be sustainable."
The Minister advised the youth to guard against violent electioneering campaigns, saying that they should not allow themselves to be used by politicians to cause distraction.
He announced that the creation of the new districts for the Northern Region would be considered this week adding the Region was excluded in the recent exercise because of the insecurity there. Alhaji Moctarr Bamba, Deputy Minister for Presidential Affairs, said the Government had initiated many infrastructure programmes to form the basis for the creation of wealth and all areas would be covered in due course.
Dr G.K. Siaw, District Chief Executive of Asougyaman District, said 14 blocks of classrooms had been constructed or rehabilitated in various communities.
Additionally, he said, 1,955 dual desks had been supplied to 52 basic schools while many roads, health and sanitation project were on course.
Vice President would commission some educational projects, inspect roads under construction and address durbars to explain Government policies to the people during the tour. 15 Dec. 03