"Come back home for jobs"- DCE

Kpetoe (V/R), Sept. 09, GNA- Mr Mawuli Dabi, Adaklu-Anyigbe District Chief Executive (DCE) on Saturday urged people from the District who had migrated to other parts of the country in search of work to come back home for better job opportunities. "All citizens of this District must stop wandering in the cities in search of non-existing jobs and come home to build the District", he said.

Mr Dabi said this at the celebration of this year's "Agbamevorza"-Kente Festival of the chiefs and people of the Agotime Traditional Area.

The DCE noted that over 1000 job opportunities are available in the District and that those outside should come back and contribute their quota to develop the area.

He said the job opportunities came about due to the fast pace at which the District was developing and urged the youth to take advantage of the situation and secure a better future for themselves. Mr Dabi observed that the National Youth Employment Programme (NYEP) for example had offered over 1000 jobs to young people since it started operating in the District six months ago. He said the many developments including constructions going on in the District and the relatively good market for kente were also job prospects young people in the District could take advantage of. Mr Dabi urged the people to desist from peddling rumours and lies about political and traditional authorities and rather rally behind the Assembly for the growth of the area.

He asked them to respect and love each other to deepen the peace that the District was currently enjoying. Mr Chris Hodges, Public Affairs Officer at the US Embassy commended the chiefs and people of the Agotime Traditional Area for their productivity in promoting awareness and distribution of their "unique and marvelous" kente to the whole world. He observed that the community had invested their time and energy to make mark on the global market. Mr Hodges said the United States government remained committed as a development partner to improving the lives and well being of the ordinary Ghanaian, and urged the community to keep up with its good works.

"As you continue with these wonderful efforts, know that you are not alone, we will also continue to work through our USAID mission to promote development through partnership", he said. Nene Nuer Keteku III, Paramount Chief of Agotime Traditional Area said kente weaving, which is the prime occupation of people in the area had provided job for many youths who hitherto were involved in illicit activities for their survival.

He said the Agotime Agbamevor (Kente) was not just a mere cloth but also a visual representation of history, philosophy, moral values and oral tradition of the people.

Nene Keteku said the focus of the festival was to project that singular identification of Ghanaians and also to give a lifeline to the people whose livelihood hinges on the kente industry. He commended government for bringing governance closer to the people and pledged the support of all chiefs to the Assembly. Nene Keteku said the District was more peaceful than ever and appealed to private enterprises to take advantage of the "huge" market in the area and establish their firms there. He also appealed to government to set up a small scale Tomato processing plant at Agotime to serve as a poverty alleviation strategy, to keep some of the youth who had gone into tomatoes farming in business.