Mampong-Akwapim, Feb.3, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday appealed to the chiefs and people of the Akwapim Traditional Area to live up to their old long tradition as the more respected, law abiding and united people.

He expressed regretted that such a cherished tradition had given way for chieftaincy disputes and other vices that were affecting their development.

President Kufuor made the appeal when he cut the sod for work to begin on the 30-kilometre Pantang - Mamfe section of the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange-Mamfe Road Project at the Mampong-Akwapim in the Eastern Region.

The project scheduled for completion within 27 months is estimated at about 171.5 billion cedis with the African Development Bank (AfDB) supporting it with 127.5 billion cedis and with 44 billion cedis from the Ghana Government.

President Kufuor said the area had very good weather and land and coupled with the reconstruction of the road that provided an alternative road to the northern parts of the country and beyond could be the impetus for more development and increase in the value for money for their land.

He said the reconstructed road would generate interest in existing economic ventures such as the Aburi Botanical Gardens; Peduase Lodge; the Tetteh Quarshie Cocoa Farm, the cradle of Ghana's Cocoa Industry and the Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine, adding that these could be packaged to attract more tourists.

President Kufuor said the craft centres, notable institutions and historic sites could be developed to realize their full tourism potential and thereby provide employment for both the people and Ghana. He said information available indicated that before cocoa became the main cash crop in the area, the people cultivated oil palm and produced palm oil and, therefore, urged them to turn their attention to the industry that was being promoted under the President's Special Initiative (PSI).

"Already nurseries for high-yielding disease-resistant varieties have been established to sell seedlings to interested farmers", he said.

President Kufuor said this year being an election year, the campaign should be about issues and everyone should be responsible politically as a contestant or a supporter of a political party.

He appealed to the people to take the forthcoming registration exercise seriously and register in their numbers to exercise their rights as good citizens of Ghana during the elections.

President Kufuor appealed to the people to be mindful of the immense investments being made in the project and to offer the contractors, China International Water and Electric Corporation all the needed support and co-operation to ensure that the work was completed on schedule.

Dr Richard Winfred Anane, Minister of Roads and Transport, said despite its strategic location, there had not been any major rehabilitation works on the road in the past 25 years.

The road, he said had, therefore, deteriorated and most sections had developed potholes, unevenness, depressions and general loss of shape. Nana Otuu Pabi II, Chief of Akwapim-Mampong appealed to the Government to set aside a percentage of the proceeds from cocoa to the Traditional area for development in line with the royalties being paid to areas that had minerals such as gold, diamond and manganese.