Chiefs express concern about change of Ministers in C/R

Abrem (C/R), Feb. 29, GNA - Chiefs in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo Abrem District have expressed concern about the way regional ministers are changed annually in the Central Region.

The chiefs expressed the concern when the Regional Minister Mr Jacob Arthur, visited the four traditional areas as part of his tour of the region on Monday. They said the annual change of the ministers does not augur well for the development of the region.

They appealed to the government to allow ministers posted to the region to stay longer to enable development projects in the region to be effectively carried out. Nana Agyei Koduah, Omanhene of Abrem Traditional Council, making the appeal, said in the past seven years, the Central Region had seen seven regional ministers.

Anytime a minister is changed the chiefs have to start negotiations with the new one, he said, and stressed the need for continuity of ministers in the region. Nana Koduah told the minister that he and his people have formed a taskforce that would move to the villages to educate the people on the importance of the population and housing census and the checking of their names and registering when the voters register is re-opened.

He commended the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for all the development projects and added that they would continue to support the NDC government's programmes and policies and appealed for the extension of electricity to the area as well as the tarring of their roads.

At Eguafo, the minister urged them to withdraw all chieftaincy and land disputes from the law courts for amicable solutions. On galamsey activities in the area, he advised them to acquire licenses from the Minerals Commission before they start operations.

At Akatakyi and Edina, the chiefs urged the minister not to act on anonymous letters.