Awutu Bereku, C/R, Nov 7, GNA- The Awutu Traditional Council has expressed appreciation to President John Agyekum Kufuor for dividing the Awutu-Effutu-Senya district into two, the Awutu Bereku District and the Winneba Municipality.

Addressing the chiefs and the people at Awutu Bereku at the weekend, Nai Nsaku Sackey VIII, Adontenhene of the Awutu Traditional Area said previously the old Awutu-Effutu-Senya District with headquarters at Winneba with more than 200,000 people was too large for effective local governance.

He said that this resulted in several disadvantages in the quest to share the national cake.

Nai Sackey said the President of Awutu Traditional Council Nai Worttey Agyeman Otabil III, set up a seven-member committee made up of Divisional Chiefs, Queen mothers and opinion leaders to make proposal to the President Kufuor for the creation of the new District in 2001. He noted that this was done with an assistance of Mr Oppey Abbey, MP for the Area to ensure the development of Awutu Traditional Area. The Adontenhene said the chiefs had already rented a two-story building for the offices of the District Assembly, accommodation for a District Chief Executive, Coordinating Director and other top officials. He stressed that the chiefs had released land for the construction of permanent offices and accommodation.

"We particularly thankful to the President for making Awutu Bereku the District Capital of the Awutu District," he stated and said the chiefs and the people appreciated the selection since the town was what he called "the commercial, cultural, administrative and socio-political Mecca of the Awutu State".

He stated that the chiefs have declared their intention to support policies and programmes of the government to sustain good governance and rule of law.

Nai Scakey appealed to the government to endeavour to appoint the DCE from the area to "fast track" the development of the area. He called on the government to expedite action on the construction roads awarded on contracts in the area to facilitate the easy transportation of goods and services.