Regional News of Friday, 26 November 2004

Source: GNA

Chiefs urged to support District Assemblies in development projects

Dodowa, Nov. 26, GNA - The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Sheik I.C. Quaye, has appealed to chiefs to support the district assemblies and all sub-district structures to attain its developmental objectives. In this way, chiefs could initiate poverty reduction projects and programmes like the construction of schools, provision of water, sanitation facilities as well as revenue mobilisation in their communities, he said.

Fund, he said could however, be sought from non-governmental organisations, donor agencies as well as the HIPC Funds for the upliftment of their communities.

He made the call in a speech read on his behalf at Dodowa on Friday, during the election of President and Vice President of the Greater Accra Regional House of Chiefs and five representatives of the House to the National House of Chiefs.

Kpone Mantse, Nii Tetteh Otu II, retained his post as the President, whiles Prampram Mantse, Nene Tetteh Djan, was elected as his vice.

Meanwhile, the President and his Vice together with three others including Nene Abram Kabu Akuaku III, Ada Mantse, Nii Adote Obour II, Sempe Mantse, and Nene Klagbordjor Animley V, Osudoku Mantse will also represent the House at the National House of Chiefs. They were all elected unopposed.

They swore the oath of allegiance and the official oath before an Accra Fast Track Court Judge, Justice George Aryeetey.

Sheik Quaye expressed concern about the gradual loss of discipline in our society and urged the chiefs to revive their traditional moral values of respect for elders and authorities to support the Vice President's campaign against indiscipline to ensure new moral course for development of the nation.

He also advised on the need for chiefs to educate their citizens to turn out massively on the voting day to exercise their franchise to ensure that they are also part of the development process in the country.

Kpone Mantse, Nii Tetteh Otu II thanked members of the House for the confidence reposed in him and promised an open door policy to move the development agenda of the House forward.

He appealed to the chiefs to advise their subjects on the need to turn out and cast their votes on December 7, in a peaceful manner. He said the country at this crucial moment needs peace to sustain its young democracy and stressed the need for political party leaders to avoid insults in their campaign messages so that the elections could be free and fair without any electoral problems.

"Ghana is our only home, let us maintain the peace that already existed so that we don't end up like those in other West African countries, who are suffering as a result of tribal wars.