Koforidua May 01, GNA- Barima Obenakwa Kwarifa II, Chief of Akyem Apedwa, in the Eastern Region has sworn the Oath of Secrecy, Judicial Oath and the Oath of Allegiance in the Koforidua High Court before His Lordship, Justice W.H. K. Addo, Justice of Appeal, sitting as an additional High Court Judge. The swearing in ceremony followed Barima Kwarifa name being entered into the National House of Chiefs as Apedwahene, which ended a six year-old chieftaincy dispute in the town. Speaking to the GNA after the ceremony, the chief appealed to his people to forget the past and come together to move the development of the town forward.

He said; "My arms are open to all, including those who were initially against me," adding that, his main preoccupation was to address the social, health and educational needs of the people. Barima Kwarifa spoke about the initiative of opening a computer centre in the area and announced that the Young Men's Christian Association (YMCA) in conjunction with Apedwa Fekuo, civil organisation in Accra was to open a Technical School in the town. He appealed to Apedwa citizens living abroad to come home and assist to rebuild the town especially towards the construction of a Community Centre and a Library Complex. He gave the hint of visiting the United Kingdom and the USA next month to meet Apedwa citizens resident there to see how best they would contribute their quota towards development of the town. The chief commended the government on the on-going electrification project in the area but appealed to it to reconstruct the town roads, which are in a deplorable state.