Atonkor (V/R), Dec. 29, GNA - Mr Solomon Donkor, Jasikan District Chief Executive (DCE), has said that Government considered the citizenry as the most valuable assert and would continue to formulate pragmatic policies to harness their potentials for national development.

He therefore, appealed to Ghanaians to assist the Government to realise its human development objectives and to patronize the National Health Insurance Scheme, to ensure good quality health for all.

Mr Donkor was speaking at a fund-raising ceremony in aid of development projects, organised by the Accra-Tema branch of the Atonkor-Buem Union (ABU), at Atonkor, a farming community in the District, which yielded 26 million cedis.

He expressed dissatisfaction about the low academic standard in the District and urged the people to take advantage of the Capitation Grant to send their children to school.

Mr Donkor noted that that education is the foundation for progress.

Nana Adjedu-Asiedu IV, Chief of Atonkor called on the people to bury their differences and work hard towards the development of the town.

He appealed to the Government to ensure that the people get their fair share of the national cake.

Nana Adjedu-Asiedu pledged the commitment of the traditional elders to release lands for development projects.

Mr Isaka Buriama, Chairman of ABU, expressed worry that the District was lacking in development as a result of a dispute between the chiefs of the Buem Traditional Area.

He therefore, appealed to the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development, eminent citizens of the area and other stakeholders to collaborate efforts to settle the dispute between the Paramount Chief of the area, Nana Aburam Akpandza IV, and the divisional chiefs. Mr Buriama said: "Though the dispute has not resulted in violence and lost of lives and property, it is insidiously affecting the socio-economic development of the area," and called on the chiefs to smoke the peace pipe once and for all.

He said the Union had completed the first phase of a street light project, supported the town's water project and rehabilitated a school block.

Mr Buriama called on the government, non-governmental organisations and public-spirited individuals to assist ABU to initiate more development projects.

He commended Mr Pascal Kwakuda Apeti, Director of DAAPEI Enterprise, for donating a variety of tree seedlings towards a tree-planting project to prevent environmental degradation in the town. Mr Buriama appealed to the people to invest in the development of their children and to help them acquire skills and knowledge required for national development instead of spending lavishly on funerals.