|
Government to open up cocoa growing
areas-Veep
Akontombra (W/R), March 20, GNA- Vice President Alhaji Aliu
Mahama said on Monday that Government was pursuing with zeal
the development policy of opening up the cocoa producing
areas to facilitate the cultivation and marketing of the
cash crop.
He said cocoa was the life-blood of the economy, hence the
determination of the Kufuor Administration to develop and
tar all access roads to the crop growing areas.
Vice President Mahama made this known when he was addressing
a durbar of the chiefs and people of Akontombra in the
Western Region.
He said 20 kilometres of the road linking Sefwi Wiawso and
Akontombra have been awarded on contract for tarring.
"It is in the interest of everyone to open up the Sefwi
area, since it is a major food growing area," he said.
He said works on the expansion of the bridge over the Tano
River into a double lane would soon be awarded on contract.
Vice President Mahama said Government aimed at reaching out
to the people to facilitate the development aspirations of
every community.
"The New Patriotic Party is a people centred government. It
is a rural development government. It is a caring
government," he said.
Nana Kwartemg Ababio III, Chief of Akontombra, expressed
worry that much of the resources needed to develop the area
was being used to enforce peace in the Sefwi Wiawso
District, which has been hit by a protracted chieftaincy
conflict.
He appealed to the Government for the extension of
electricity, telecommunication facilities and the
establishment of a cocoa processing company in the area to
create employment for the youth.
Mr Albert Evans Amoah, Regional Minister said Akontombra
Constituency had been adopted for special development
attention.
Vice President Mahama inspected the Nsawura Health Centre,
which had been abandoned for two years due to lack of funds.
He directed the Regional Co-ordinating Council to expedite
action to bring back the contractor-Kandicks Construction to
the site to facilitate the implementation of the National
Health Insurance Scheme in the area.
Vice President Mahama also interacted with the chiefs and
people of Sefwi Asawinso, where the Chief, Nana Kwesi
appealed for a masters' bungalow, classroom blocks, library,
computer laboratory and transport facility for the local
senior secondary school.
He also visited the Sefwi Asafo-based St. John of God
Hospital, where a number of people who were involved in an
accident while returning from local activities marking
Ghana's 50th anniversary celebrations were on admission.
Dr Michael Salisu Adam, Medical Officer at the Hospital said
out of the 195 accident victims, three died on the spot at
Asempanaye while 175 pupils were injured.
He said four pupils were still on admission while the
youngest victim who was one year old had died.
Dr Adam said all the patients were treated free of charge
and appealed to the Governent to re-imburse the hospital.
He also appealed for an ambulance, a car for medical
outreach programmes and the replacement of the over-aged
surgical lights.
Vice President Mahama inspected works on the 44.4 kilometre
Sefwi-Denjiman road being sponsored by the Government of
Ghana and the Netherlands.
He also inspected school upgrading projects at Sefwi Wiawso
and Wassa Akropong senior secondary schools where he advised
the students to study hard to achieve their objectives in
life.
At a meeting with Kasapreko Kwame Basanyi III, Paramount
Chief of Wassa Amenfi Traditional Area at Tarkwa, Vice
President Mahama expressed discontent about the shoddy jobs
some contractors were executing on government projects and
asked project consultants to be more vigilant to help
reverse the situation.
He also asked officials of the Ministry of Transportation to
ensure the training of local contractors to minimise the
project cost and the undue delay of works, especially on
road contracts.
Nana Basanyi appealed to Government for a school bus for
Wassa Senior Secondary School and the upgrading of the
medical facility at Tarkwa.
GNA
|
