Upper Bobikuma (C/R), Aug 8, GNA - The Central Regional Minister, Nana Ato Arthur, has appealed to the President and members of the Regional House of Chiefs to settle the numerous chieftaincy and land disputes pending before the courts.

He stated that according to information available to the Regional Coordinating Council there were 40 cases and appealed to them to ensure that they were settled out of court.

Nana Arthur expressed these sentiments at durbars at Upper Bobikuma and Agona Abodom at the weekend to climax the annual Akwambo festivals of the Chiefs and people of the area.

The Regional Minister noted that such disputes made the people poor since they spent all their money, energy and time at the courts. He said the region was lagging behind in terms of socio-economic development and had been declared as one of the four poorest regions in the country as a result of chieftaincy and land disputes among other factors.

Nana Arthur asked kingmakers and elders of the various traditional areas to select the right people to occupy stools when they become vacant to avoid conflict and hatred and to promote peace and stability. Nana Yaw Buabeng X, Chief of Bobikuma, appealed to the authorities to rehabilitate roads in the area and asked the Ministry of Health to upgrade the Health Centre in the town to a hospital since patients from the area were referred to either the Agona Swedru or Breman Asikuma hospitals.

Nana Guard Asomaning, Regent of Agona Abodom, appealed to the Regional Minister to ensure that the promises made by President Kufuor when he visited the town were fulfilled.

He said some of the promises were the provision of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) facilities and the construction of a secondary school, adding that, the chiefs had released 25 hectares of land for the projects.