Reduce political temperature - Togbe Hodo

The President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, has admonished political parties to engage in campaigns devoid of insults to reduce political tension in the country.

He said politics, which involved serving the people, was extremely important in building a strong and united nation; therefore, there was the need for a more productive approach to it to ensure peace in the upcoming elections.

Togbe Tepre Hodo IV made the statement when a delegation of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) led by the running mate of its presidential candidate, Prof. Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, called on him.

Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, who doubles as the Paramount Chief of Anfoega, said he was appalled at the level to which politics had degenerated in recent times.

"There is no decorum in how people approach politics. Some people see politics almost as a do-and-die affair, but we will all agree that politics essentially is to serve the people, and so my admonition to all politicians in this country is to tone down and reduce the political temperature in this country," he said.

Responding to Togbe Hodo's call, Prof. Opoku-Agyemang agreed that politics was about development since it was built on peace.

She urged citizens to be tolerant of one another and ensure that the country was moved in a better direction.

"Any country not mindful of the future is creating a problem. All of us have deviated, and that is why the NDC manifesto is placing emphasis on peace and education," she said.

Development

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang said the NDC was passionate about eliminating the double-track system, hence the introduction of the progressive free secondary school education. She said all abandoned Community Day schools across the country would be completed and fully furnished for their intended purpose.

Mr Ofosu Ampofo congratulated Togbe Tepre Hodo IV on his election as the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs.

He thanked the chiefs for keeping faith with the NDC and assured them that the party would tackle socio-economic issues in the region by implementing the policies in the People's Manifesto, such as the national apprenticeship programme and the technical and vocational education programme to create opportunities for people to learn a skill. She said 200,000 people were targeted to receive such training to create jobs to reduce the burden of unemployment on the people.

He said the NDC manifesto had made provision for the establishment of a Royal Institute for Chieftaincy Training to train traditional rulers in order to help them administer their areas of jurisdiction effectively.

"We will set up a royal institute because chiefs, apart from administering traditional areas, are also supposed to be given the capacity to manage administratively their area of jurisdiction," he added.