Settle disputes amicably - President reiterates to chiefs

President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo yesterday reiterated his appeal to traditional authorities in the country to ensure that chieftaincy disputes and other related conflicts were dealt with amicably to engender harmony and ensure the speedy development of the country.

He said chieftaincy disputes triggered by succession and other matters were an affront to progress and urged traditional authorities to find lasting solutions that would lead to unity, peace and progress.

President Akufo-Addo made the appeal when members of the Central Regional House of Chiefs, accompanied by the Regional Minister, Mr Kwamena Duncan, paid a courtesy call on him at the Jubilee House in Accra.

The President explained that chieftaincy conflicts sparked by succession issues did not augur well for the country, as they impeded progress, and urged that unity and understanding must prevail.

Roads

Reacting to the request by the chiefs for the construction of roads in the region, the President said he was aware of the bad nature of roads, saying that almost all the chiefs he had interacted with had also raised the same issue with him.

He explained that about three major roads in the region, covering areas including Twifo Praso and Dunkwa, had been captured under the first phase of the Sino Hydro projects which would commence soon.

He gave an assurance that the remaining roads would also be done systematically under other projects, including those earmarked under the 2019 budget.

The President indicated that to be fair with the people of the country, his government, through the Ministry of Roads and Highways, would soon announce the ways in which roads in the country would be done, adding that the truth must be told that those roads could not all be tackled at a go, since the financial standing of the country would not allow that.

Factories

The President of the Central Regional House of Chiefs, Obrempong Nyanful Krampah XI, commended the President for his government’s flagship social intervention programmes such as the free SHS, Planting for Food and Jobs, the Nation Builders Corps (NaBCo), among others.

He appealed to the President to help bring investors to revive some of the factories that had become dormant, such as the Pozzolana Cement Factory in Gomoa and the Lime Factory in the Asebu Traditional Area.

According to Obrempong Krampah, the Kwamankesi Traditional Area had pigment clay that could be used to manufacture paints and asked that an investor be identified to start production.

He said similar treatment could be afforded the columbine tantalite deposits in Gomoa Mankoadze, all to generate employment and wealth.

He again appealed to the President to speed up work on the Komenda Sugar Factory to get an investor so that the youth of the area would be gainfully employed, a move that would boost the economy of the area.