Regional News of Thursday, 12 October 2006

Source: GNA

NGO appeals to Asantehene to help stop constructions on river beds

Akrowa(Ash), Oct 12, GNA - Mr. Patrick Oppong, Executive Director of 93Save our Waters Ghana=94, an NGO has appealed to the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, to take steps to prevent developers from constructing projects on river courses as the practice posed a great danger to the protection of water bodies.

He made the appeal when he led newsmen to inspect the extent of damage caused to river courses on the Kumasi-Offinso-Tamale trunk road as a result of the construction of numerous projects. Some of the rivers affected by these untoward acts are; Asuo, Owere, Anyinasu,Nanyo and Owabi, all in the Kwabre District of Ashanti. Mr. Oppong lauded Otumfuo's recent calls on traditional leaders and public officers to desist from allocating lands around river beds to private developers due to the hazards it posed to the sustainability of the ecosystem.

He further called on Kumasi Metropolitan Authority (KMA) and the Kwabre District Assembly to immediately halt the construction of a fuel station on the course of rivers Asuo and Awere all at Akrowa, a small farming village in the District.