Ntotroso (B/A), Aug 2, GNA - Mr. Opoku Peprah, Asutifi District Chief Executive (DCE) has called on the youth to take advantage of the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) to get jobs to contribute towards national development.

In a speech read on his behalf at the inauguration of the Ntotroso Youth Association at Ntotroso in the Asutifi District of the Brong Ahafo Region over the weekend, he stated that under the NYEP, the youth would become self-reliant and responsible.

He noted that the programme, which is part of the nation's measures to achieve the Millennium Development Goals with emphasis on poverty reduction, improved health care delivery, access to education and good governance.

The DCE expressed satisfaction that the National Health Insurance Scheme had made health care delivery affordable for majority of people in the district and appealed to those who had not registered to do so. Mr. Peprah charged the youth to educate the people on the need to embrace the scheme.

He praised the government for introducing the capitation grant, which the DCE stated had led to increased enrolment in schools. Mr. Peprah said all public basic schools in the District would be absorbed into the School Feeding Programme this year to ensure that the nutritional requirements of pupils were met.

He advised the youth against chieftaincy disputes and urged them to use their youthful energies into initiating development programmes to better the lot of the people.

Barima Twireku Ampem III, Chief of Ntotroso, advised members of the Association to co-operate with the traditional authority to ensure peace, harmony and development in the area.

He commended the initiators of the Association for their foresight and advised the executives, not to lord it over the members, but to see themselves as servants of the people they led. They should also respect and avoid confrontation with those in authority.

Mr. Brian Andersen, General Manager of Newmont Gold Ghana Limited (NGGL), a gold mining company operating in the Ahafo area pledged the company's preparedness to work closely with the traditional authorities and the youth for the development of communities in the area. Mr. Kofi Aduse-Poku, Brong-Ahafo Regional Youth Coordinator, advised the executives to adhere strictly to the Constitution of the Association.

Mr. Frederick Duah, NYEP Regional Coordinator, said 569 people had been placed under the programme in the District. Mr. Joseph Asante-Ameyaw, immediate past Chairman of the Association, said with financial assistance from NGGL, the Association repaired all the five broken down boreholes in the town and recently built a public place of convenience for the people at the estimated cost of 17 million cedis.

Mr. Maxwell Atuahene, the new Chairman, assured the District Assembly and the Chiefs of the Association's readiness to co-operate with them for the accelerated development of the town.

Mr. Henry Hammond, Asutifi Area Manager of the Opportunities Industrialization Centre International (OICI), assured communities in the District of the organisation's preparedness to assist vulnerable groups with farming inputs to produce enough food both for the local market and export.