Nii Okwei Kinka Dowuona VI, Osu Mantse, has appealed to health authorities to assist in educating the people of Osu on the Ebola virus.

He said following the outbreak of Ebola in other parts of West Africa and the outbreak of cholera in Ghana due to poor sanitation, there was the need for awareness to mitigate the overwhelming disease burden.

Nii Kinka Dowuona, also the President of the Osu Traditional Council, made the call when he, his elders, and the people of Osu launched this year’s Osu Homowo Festival, an annual festival celebrated among Gas in the Greater Accra Region.

The Homowo celebration was on the theme: “Traditional Festival as a Vehicle for Accelerated Development.”

The Osu Mantse said: “It is my expectation that the Osu Traditional Council would use the celebration to epitomise the aspirations of the Government, whose overriding policies revolve around social development, the private sector, human resource development and good governance.”

He said since the attainment of paramountcy and the recognition of the Traditional Council there have been massive positive changes within the Osu Traditional Area.

He mentioned the provision of medical health relief programme, the securing of the stool land at GIMPA near Achimota and the renovation and refurbishment of the chief’s palace.

Nii Kinka Dowuona said there were plans to establish a community recreational centre, a modern day educational facility, and the fencing of the Royal Mausoleum.

He stated that plans were far advanced for the provision of basic amenities such as affordable and accessible education, training programmes and jobs with support from Periyar African Foundation, an India foundation aimed at helping the youth acquire employable skills. He appealed to the business community, investors and all well-meaning individuals and groups to support the programmes aimed at developing the Osu Traditional Area.

The Osu Mantse urged the people to reinvigorate the communal spirit, discipline, patriotism and sustained hard work for the betterment of the community.

He asked them to use the occasion to take stock of the short comings and inadequacies in development to position the community appropriately in the fast growing world.

“Furthermore, let us use the celebration to provide a perspective on marketing the investment potentials of the area, highlight her contribution to national development and unearth the strengths, as well as examine the crucial developmental challenges facing it, to provide the best way forward,” Nii Kinka Dowuona said.