Government to establish University in B/A - Mills

President John Evans Atta Mills, on Saturday announced government's intention to establish a public University of Energy and Natural Resources in the Brong-Ahafo Region, to fulfil a pledge in the manifesto of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

He said that the region had quality human resource for national development and expressed government's determination to tap its abundant natural resources for greater development.

President Mills was addressing a durbar of the chiefs and people of Brong-Ahafo in Sunyani, to climax the golden jubilee anniversary celebration of the creation of the region.

He advised the people to eschew bitterness and rancour and embrace love, unity and hard work for the speedy progress of the country.

Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo, Regional Minister, said the region has developed "in leaps and bounds", citing that prior to the creation of the region had only two local councils but now it had seven municipalities and 15 districts.

He said that the region had only one Secondary School at Dormaa-Ahenkro but now there were 53 Senior High Schools and the number of health institutions and roads had increased, telephone facilities had been expanded and adequate provision of potable water and electricity had also been ensure, among others.

Mr. Nyamekye-Marfo said despite the progress, the region faced challenges including unemployment which forced the youth to migrate to foreign countries for greener pastures under dangerous conditions.

He appealed to local and foreign investors to take advantage of the region's enormous natural resources and vast fertile lands to establish businesses to create jobs.

Osahene Kwaku Ateryi II, Paramount Chief of Kukuom Traditional Area and President of the Regional House of Chiefs, said the creation of the region had benefited the people a lot, saying prior to that there were only 18 paramount chiefs but now there were 49 of them with four divisional chiefs representing 12 traditional councils.

Nana Kwadwo Nyarko III, Paramount Chief of Prang Traditional Area, and Chairman of the Anniversary Planning Committee, said the committee had not taken any categorical decision to replace the statue of Professor Kofi Abrefa Busia, Ghana's Prime Minister in the second Republic, at the jubilee park in Sunyani with that of Dr. Nkrumah, Ghana's First President.

Nana Nyarko said that "neither the regional house of chiefs nor the Regional Coordinating Council has also instructed the planning committee to make such a move" adding that "those propagating that speculation are only playing the devil's advocate or up to some mischief".

The region before its creation on April 4, 1959 by then Prime Minister Dr. Kwame Nkrumah was known as Western Ashanti.