Wa, July 1, GNA - Senior Citizens in the Upper West Region have been asked to promote peace in their communities and ensure that the people supported security agencies in fighting crime.

Mr. Cezar Kale, Deputy Upper West Regional Minster, made the appeal at this year's celebration of Senior Citizens Day at Wa on Thursday. He said that the current menace of Fulani herdsmen coupled with armed robbery threatened the relative peace enjoyed by the people in the region. Mr. Kale appealed to the Senior Citizens to use their wisdom and experience to the benefit of their communities. He congratulated all Senior Citizens in the country for working tirelessly to lay the foundation for the development of the nation. Mr. Kale said that government would continue to engage Senior Citizens in the national discourse to seek their ideas and contributions on policies and programmes.

He said the Block-Farming concept, Youth in Agriculture Programme, the Northern Rural Growth Project, the revamping of the cotton and sheanut industry, the promotion of the local rice industry and the provision of subsidized fertilizer had promoted agricultural in the region. Mr. Kale said government's free-school uniform and exercise books scheme, the expansion of the School Feeding Programme and Capitation Grant and the provision of more classrooms and accommodation for Senior High Schools was aimed at boosting education. He said that the government would rectify the abuses and wastage in the National Health Insurance Scheme to enable Ghanaians to get the best out of it. Mr. Kale called on the Senior Citizens to pray for the Black Stars as they come against Uruguay on Friday in the quarter finals of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. 1 July 10