Some opinion leaders in Winneba have appealed to Effutu citizens in and outside the traditional area to unite for the speedy development of the municipality.

They said this could be done by setting aside political differences and collectively plan, implement and develop project designed to better the lot of people in Winneba and surrounding communities.

The opinion leader including assembly members, educationists and religious leaders in the Effutu Municipality said this at a get-together at Winneba.

It was organized by Mr. Kingsley Arthur, Assemblyman for Mburabam Electoral Area, to express his gratitude to the people in the area for their support and hard work which enabled him to win the Best Effutu Municipal Assemblyman’s Award for 2013.

The opinion leaders expressed serious concern about the negative effect politics was having on the unity of Effutu citizens and the socio-economic development of the traditional area.

They said; “this is the time all Effutu citizens, irrespective of our individual political affiliations, to turn over a new leaf and come together as a formidable body to develop the entire Effutu community in the spirit of oneness.”

They said politics had affected the education of children in the municipality, resulting in the inability of the children not obtain good grades to enable them gain admission into the University of Education, Winneba.

They commended Mr. Arthur for his great feat and urged him to step up his activities to win more laurels this year.

The speakers called for co-operation and hardwork from the electorate in the Mburabam Electoral Area to facilitate the execution of self-help projects, which would be initiated by Mr. Arthur.

Besides winning the Best Effutu Municipal Assemblyman Award for the year, Mr. Arthur also won the Fifth Best Assemblyman for the Central Region for his excellent care for the environment and the people.

The award was instituted jointly by the Environmental Concern Office, Society of African Mission and the Central Regional Diocese of the Catholic Church.

The opinion leaders who spoke at the function included Madam Elizabeth Awo Senah, Assemblywoman for Kojo Beedu North Electoral Area, Mr. Lawrence Paa Nii Lamptey and Mr. Arthur.

At the same event Mr. Justin Gokah, Fire Safety Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service and Mr. Joseph Y. Owusu-Kwarteng, former Public Relations Officer of the Winneba branch of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), spoke about the negative effects of domestic and bushfire outbreaks and the numerous benefits of NHIS.

Mr. Owusu-Kwarteng advised Ghanaians to ignore calls by some members of the public that the health insurance scheme was collapsing and embrace the policy firmly to enable them to drive its maximum benefits.