Pokrom(E/R), Aug. 16, GNA- The Aburihene, Nana Djan Kwasi II, has expressed concern about the continuous shortage of gas in the country and explained that, the situation was defeating the crusade for the protection of the forest in the country.

He expressed the hope that the implementation of the West African gas pipeline project would be fast tracked to help solve the problem and give the law enforcement agencies, the moral courage to implement the law on indiscriminate felling of trees to help save the forest. Nana Djan Kwasi was speaking at the formal launching of Aburiman Community Based Organization(ABACO) and the Aburiman Forest Eco-system Conservation For Sustainable and Poverty Reduction Project(AECSPRP) being undertaken by ABACO at Pokrom, near Aburi on Wednesday. The project is being funded by the Danish International Development Agency(DANIDA).

Nana Djan Kwasi, who is the Executive Chairman of ABACO said the organization was the development wing of the chiefs and people of Aburi and was aimed at mobilizing support towards the development of Aburi and its surrounding villages.

He said under AECSPRP, ABACO had planted 86 hectars of Teak and Cederella in four communities around Aburi. Nana Djan Kwasi said, the Aburi traditional Council would soon come out with bye-law to regulate tree felling,cutting of firewood and charcoal burning in the area and at support the rural communities to establish woodlots so that they could help protect the forest and stop the deforestation of Aburi and its environs.

Nana Djan Kwasi commended President J. A. Kufuor for the release of 1.5 billion cedis for the construction of the Aburi Craft Village and appealed to the Akuapem South District Chief Executive and the Member of Parliament for the area to help retrieve the 550 million cedis of the fund which was misapplied by some individuals at the District Assembly. He expressed the appreciation of the chiefs and people of Aburi and Akuapem to the government for the rehabilitation of the various roads leading to the area but observed that, the desired effect on tourism would not be felt if the deterioration of the structures at the Aburi Botanical Gardens was overlooked by Government.

Mr. Alan Kyeremanten, a presidential aspirant of the New Patriotic Party(NPP), who was the guest of honour called on investors to invest in first class hotels and provide the necessary supporting facilities that could help exploit the tourist potential of the place.

He gave the assurance that though he was no longer a Minister, he was still a leading member of the ruling party and would do whatever he could to ensure the completion of the Aburi craft village.

The Deputy Minister for Youth and Employment, Mrs Akosua Frema Osei Opare said her ministry was drafting a bill on the operations of Non-governmental Organizations (NGOs) for cabinet and when approved the bill would be sent to parliament to be passed into law. She explained that, the bill was not meant to control NGOs but to strengthen their operations in a way that government could even award projects to them to implement on its behalf.

Mrs. Opare appealed to the Akuapem South District Chief Executive and Nana Djan Kwasi to ensure the completion of the Aburi craft Village to help provide employment for the youth in the area.

The Deputy Minister of Transportation, Mr Magnus Opare Asamoah said under the Millennium Challenge Accounts, 181 kilometers of road network in the Akuapem South District would be tarred. He said the Nsawam-Pakro road had been awarded on contract for tarring and would be extended to Adawso. 16 Aug. 2007