Bimbilla (NR), Dec. 31, GNA - Mr. Mohammed Ibn Abass, Nanumba North District Chief Executive, has advised the chiefs and people to forgive one another and enter the New Year with clean hearts for lasting peace in the area.

He reminded them that peace and security were necessary for development, and asked the elders to settle all chieftaincy disputes in the Bimbilla Traditional Area to pave way for development and poverty reduction. Mr Abass made the call at the third ordinary meeting of the Assembly at Bimbilla, to approve the budget for the district and to take stock of the past years.

He said: "It is necessary for us to use the celebration of the yuletide to forgive one another, seek peace and forge ahead in unity so that our district would develop. Conflicts would continue to derail our development agenda", he said.

Mr. Abass commended the chiefs and people of the area for celebrating the fire festival peacefully and appealed to the Judicial Committee handling conflicts in the area to expedite action on its work. He said the Assembly had embarked on projects including the EU micro project for the construction of teachers' quarters and a three-unit classroom block for the Bimbilla Senior High School and the building of a classroom block for the Duuni community.

Mr. Abass also mentioned the construction of a three-unit dormitory block, bathrooms, the provision of 36 double Decker beds for Bimbilla Senior High School with funds from the District Wide Assisted Projects and the building of an abattoir for the Bincheratanga community. He said Bakpaba, Lapusi, Nakpa, Jilo and Deeni communities had benefited from various projects including the construction of classroom blocks, toilets and market stalls.

Mr Abass also said some communities benefited from the EU /UNICEF Integrated Water, Sanitation and Hygiene project, which sought to provide potable water and construct mechanized boreholes for some communities.