Committee of eminence formed to resolve disputes in C/R

Winneba, Feb. 18, GNA- The Central Regional Co-ordinating Council has set up a seven- member committee of eminence to resolve all land and chieftaincy disputes in the region to accelerate development. Nana Ato Arthur, Central Regional Minister announced this when he addressed a day's workshop on peace in the Effutu Traditional Area organised by the Winneba Peace Initiative (WPI) Consultative Workshop at Winneba on Friday.

Some chiefs in the Traditional Area, government Officials and a cross- section of people from the Effutu Area attended the workshop. The objective of the workshop was to help find lasting solutions to the protracted chieftaincy disputes and other misunderstanding among Asafo companies in the Winneba area that had created division among the people.

He said the committee is under the chairmanship of His Eminence Peter Cardinal Appiah-Turkson, Catholic Archbishop of Cape Coast to ensure amicable settlement of all disputes pending before the Regional House of Chiefs and law courts.

He said his tour of the region immediately after taking over the administration of the region had shown that there were numerous chieftaincy and land cases pending before the courts, which, he said, had had serious negative effects on the development of the region. The Regional Minister said the government's efforts at reviving some collapsed industries in the region to help reduce poverty would be meaningless if the region continues to have numerous land and chieftaincy disputes.

He called on the people of Winneba to bury their differences to ensure peace and stability, adding that the town cannot develop with acrimony, hatred and anxiety among the people.

The Regional Minister said every district in the region would benefit from at least one or two projects to serve as a monument during the celebration of the Golden Jubilee Anniversary of the Ghana independence. Mr. Solomon Kwashie Abbam-Quaye, District Chief Executive for Awutu-Effutu- Senya cautioned citizens of Winneba, who have condoned and connived with some government officials and are selling land indiscriminately for their parochial interests to stop to the practice because anyone caught would be made to face the law.

He said many investors both local and foreign have expressed interest to invest in Winneba but 93chieftaincy and land matters had stopped them from coming to town."

Mr Alex Bonney, Chairman of the WPI said the youth of the town have realized that chieftaincy, and other misunderstanding among Asafo companies is doing more harm than good to the town, adding that unity and peace are tools for progress and prosperity.

Mr Bonney stated that members of WPI had had fruitful discussions with Omanhene of Winneba, Neenyi Kobina Ghartey VII, Mr Solomon Abbam-Quaye, DCE and leaders of the two Asafo Companies on the need to resolve all disputes in the town to pave way for development.