Govt's programme of dev´t is on course - JAK

Abetifi-Kwahu (E/R), Aug 29, GNA - The government's programme on the provision of basic amenities and infrastructure for development is on course, President John Agyekum Kufour said at Abetifi-Kwahu on Saturday.

He therefore appealed to Ghanaians to exercise patience in their quest for the provision of potable water, electricity, education infrastructure and roads.

"We have began and the provision of basic amenities and infrastructure will continue until all communities in the country are covered," he said.

President Kufour was addressing a colourful durbar of the chiefs and people of the Kwahu Traditional Area on the first day of his four-day official visit to the Eastern Region at Abetifi-Kwahu in the Kwahu South District.

He said the rehabilitation of the mechanized boreholes at Nkawkaw in the Kwahu West District with Spanish government assistance would be completed in October.

The government, he said, would not pay lip service to the important role being played by chiefs in the country's socio-economic development and called for more co-operations from them.

President Kufour appealed to the chiefs to release more land, especially in the Afram Plains, to investors.

On a request to the change of the name of the Afram Plains to Kwahu North District, President Kufour urged the chiefs to initiate the necessary process through the appropriate channels.

President Kufour appealed to the people to be vigilant and elect competent people who could participate effectively and efficiently in the country's development to parliament during the December elections. Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng II, Omanhene of the Kwahu Traditional Area, appealed to the government to revert the name of the Afram Plains to its original name of "Kwahu North District".

He said the people would not resort to the use of violence or demonstrations to effect the change. "We are only pleading for the change of name."

Daasebre Akuamoah Boateng commended the government for the creation of the new Kwahu West District and expressed the hope that the Afram Plains could also be split into two.

He appealed to the government to rehabilitate the Nkawkaw-Obemeng-Mpraeso road as well as the roads at Mpraeso, the district capital and the Kwahu Tafo-Adawso roads for the easy evacuation of foodstuffs from the Afram Plains.