Sunyani, Dec.1, GNA - Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, the Brong- Ahafo Regional Minister, has expressed concern about the use of foul, abusive language and unsavoury remarks by some panelists and callers during radio discussions against certain personalities in the region. He said such behaviour was an effrontery to cultural values, respect for authority and the elderly in the society. The Regional Minister was speaking at the end-of-year general meeting of the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs in Sunyani. The Regional Minister has therefore appealed to chiefs in the region to spearhead a crusade against that "creeping culture". He said on some radio talk shows, certain commentators and callers contributing to topics under discussion were not decorous in their arguments, adding that some misuse the platform to propagate lies, misrepresent facts and misinform listeners among others. If not checked that could become a source of conflict because hard won reputation of distinguished personalities were damaged with impunity, he said.

He appealed to the chiefs to resolve not to allow conflicts to retard development in their communities as huge sums of resources were usually required to restore peace to the areas involved. Mr. Nyamekye Marfo said the region needed peace to cement the Sister/City relationships that many of the assemblies and the Regional Coordinating Council had been able to establish between them and some European and US cities. He commended the traditional leaders for initiating programmes and projects for the development of their communities.

Mr. Nyamekye Marfo told the house that the government had earmarked GHC 20, 208, 900.00 to provide educational infrastructure in the region under a Special Educational Infrastructure Project. The infrastructure included the construction of classroom blocks, dormitories, science and computer laboratories and libraries in the various Senior High Schools, he stressed. Besides the educational infrastructure the region distributed 60, 146 school uniforms, comprising 16, 272 sewn and 43, 872 pre-cuts and 717, 864 exercise books to basic school pupils in deprived communities in the region. He said the region had identified 70 schools under trees and contracts had been awarded to build classroom blocks for them. Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo assured that the government would continue to streamline the National Health Insurance Scheme for better services Osahene Kwaku Aterkyi II, the Paramount Chief of Kukuom and President of the House, said 56 cases were pending before its judicial committee for settlement.

He said during the year an attempt was made to settle cases by the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution Mechanism procedure but most of them failed to yield positive results. Osahene Aterkyi appealed to the chiefs to educate their communities on the harmful effects of bushfires to avoid disastrous consequences. 0