Garu (UER), March 3, GNA-Four people died within the last two weeks of February as a result of an anthrax outbreak in the Garu Tempane District of the Upper East region.

The district assembly has therefore, provided 5,700 doses of anthrax vaccines free of charge to arrest the situation. So far, only 2,270 animals have been vaccinated due to most farmers' refusal to have their animals vaccinated.

Mr. Emmanuel Sin-Nyet Asigri, the Garu-Tempane District Chief Executive, (DCE), announced these at a durbar of chief opinion and religious leaders at Garu on Thursday.

The aim of the durbar was to explain government policies to them and to solicit their views on how best to move the district forward as a united team.

Mr. Asigri expressed displeasure about the farmers' refusal to vaccinate their animals adding, " you are not endangering your lives only, but the whole of the district ".

He appealed to them to reconsider their stance since there were no ill motive against them as been rumoured.

He also appealed to the people to desist from feeding on dead or sick animals, which might be infected with the disease. The DCE said in spite of vigorous mechanisms introduced to improve revenue mobilization to undertake development projects that would impact positively on the people's life, the assembly had not made any head way due to some corrupt revenue collectors.

He appealed to the leaders to educate and monitor revenue payers who connive with some revenue collectors to cheat the district of the needed resources about the harm they are causing to the district. Mr. Asigri cautioned the leaders against interfering in criminal cases before the police, adding that their interference only encourage them to continue their bad habits.

He admonished that in their efforts in serving the people, they should not be seen to be undermining the development of the area through their chieftaincy disputes.

Tempane-Nab, Naba Francis A. Akolowini III, appealed to the DCE to prevail on all feuding parties in chieftaincy disputes to settle them amicably to advance the development of the area. The Garu-Nab, Naba Awin Akuntam said their meagre monthly allowance of 25,000 cedis needed to be reviewed to raise the image at chieftaincy in the area.