Regional News of Thursday, 6 August 2009

Source: GNA

People in the Western Region are peaceful-RM

Sefwi Wiawso (W/R), July 30, GNA - Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, the Western Regional Minister, has said his people would not create problems for the government.

He was speaking at a durbar in honour of President John Atta Mills at Sefwi Wiawso during his two-day tour of the Western Region. "If there are any group of people who would create problems for your administration, kindly count us out. Generally, we are a peace loving people in spite of the chieftaincy disputes at Wiawso and Dadieso but I am hopeful that they would be resolved in no time". He said there is also land dispute between the people of Achimfo in the Aowin-Suaman District and the Saviour Church of Ghana. Mr Aidoo said efforts were being made to improve the yield of cocoa through mass spraying which has been sacrificed on the altar of politics and the Regional Coordinating Council and the Ghana Cocoa Board would collaborate to streamline activities of the mass spraying gangs. Mr Aidoo said all farms regardless of political inclination of the owner deserve spraying for swollen shoot and other diseases that attack cocoa defy politics.

He said the construction of the Asankrangwa/Enchi road is ongoing and appealed to the President to extend the construction to Dadieso. The construction of the Asemkrom/Enchi/Elubo road would reduce the traveling time from Takoradi to Enchi, Akontombra, Juabeso and Asankrangwa.

The Wiawso/Akontombra/Amoyaa road, Sefwi Bekwai/Asankrangwa road and the rehabilitation of Bawdie/Asankrangwa road would ease the burden which communities along these roads always grapple with. Mr Aidoo said the construction of the Benchima

Junction/Oseikojokrom road would make the traveling from Kumasi through Wiwaso to Oseikojokrom with the La Cote d'Ivoire comfortable. He said phase two of the Wiawso Government Hospital started by the National Democratic Congress government had been abandoned since 2001 and the completion of phase 2 and expansion of facilities at the hospital would make it possible to cater for the health needs of the growing number of people in its catchments area.

Mr Aidoo said Bia District has no district hospital and the other districts in the region cannot boost of quality facilities as well as personnel and the health facilities at the Bibiani Government Hospital are inadequate.

He appealed to the President to expand facilities at the Bibiani Government Hospital and to upgrade the Sefwi Bekwai Health Post into a District Hospital.