'Creation of new regions will promote rapid development'

Sekondi April 23, GNA - Dr Kwaku Afriyie, the Western Regional Minister has stated that the modalities for the creation of a new region out of the exiting Western Region would soon be out.

He said the creation of a new region was to promote rapid development and progress in the region and not to bring division among the traditional authorities and the people of the regions as perceived by some people.

Dr Afriyie who stated this during an interaction with the media in Sekondi assured the chiefs and people of the region that all stakeholders connected with the exercise would be brought on board as soon on the creation of the region.

The main objective of the media interactive session was to among others share the vision of the NPP government for the Western Region and to seek support and collaboration in the realisation of the ideals of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

The regional Minister who spoke on the theme 'Developing Western Region to Develop Ghana', said his administration would focus on the rebranding of the western region, develop infrastructure, capacity building and human resource development and investment promotion.

He said the promotion of peace and security, creation of land banks for development, environmental protection, promotion of education, health and agriculture, youth and sports and tourism would also be tackled.

Dr Afriyie touching on peace and security pointed out that without peace and security there would be no development and gave the assurance that the regional Security Council would continue to work hard to sustain the peaceful atmosphere in the region.

He however called on chiefs, traditional authorities and the people of the region not to engage in any acts that could breach the peace people in the region were enjoying, 'we should all contribute our quota towards the maintenance of peace and security in the western region and Ghana as a whole'.

On Economic potentials of the region, he said the region held the key to Ghana's development since it was endowed with numerous natural resources that contributed about 56 percent of Ghana's Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

He mentioned Gold, Cocoa, Bauxite manganese, rubber, coconut and Oil palm, kaolin, timber, Forest Wildlife and Fisheries as well as natural gas and oil in commercial quantities as the natural resources the region could boast of.

Dr Afriyie said despite the region's numerous natural resources, it was still beset with a number of challenges which ranged from the effects of galamsey on water bodies and farm lands, poor road and railway networks, and the lack of an airport in the region.

He said apart from these challenges, there were a lot more which hindered the progress and development of the region, but stressed that the western region as the natural resource hub of the nation would not be left out in the development agenda of the country.

He assured the media that he would adopt an open door policy in his administration of the region and that he would be transparent and accountable to the people at all times.

Dr Afriyie hinted that Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) had programmed to meet the press at regular intervals and that a Client Service Unit had been established at the RCC to regulate the time frame of service delivery of the council and also to receive complaints and make recommendation for redress.

GNA

By Justina Paaga, GNA