Kumasi, Nov. 1, GNA - Fifteen students from the Ghana Armed Forces Staff College are in Kumasi for a week study tour of the Ashanti Region. The tour formed part of the environmental study programme of the college, conducted yearly to help the students to collate views and suggestions from institutions to help in the implementation of policies and programmes.
Speaking during a meeting with heads of departments as part of the tour at the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) in Kumasi on Monday, Colonel Ani Asamoah, leader of the team and Co-ordinator of training at the staff college, said the students will sample views and opinions on the Domestic Violence Bill, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), roads accidents and strategies in achieving food security for the country.
Col. Asamoah therefore, appealed to the heads of department to assist them to research into those areas and come out with good reports. Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, told the students that Ashanti Region has the highest administrative districts of 21, including the Kumasi Metropolitan Area in the country. He said the region has 33 traditional council areas, each headed by a paramount chief under whom there are several other sub-chiefs, who owe allegiance to the Asantehene.
The Regional Minister stated that the homogeneity of the people, speaking only one dialect facilitates smooth administration of the area and through the traditional courts of the Asantehene, chieftaincy issues and land litigation issues were settled.
Mrs Alice Botchway, Ashanti Regional Director of the National Council on Women and Development (NCWD), in her presentation said her outfit has been actively involved in organizing sensitisation programmes for women, men and children on the domestic violence bill. Other departments like the National Commission on Civic Education (NCCE), the Domestic Violence and Victim Support Unit (DVVSU) of the Police Service and the Labour Department took turns to brief the students on their programmes and activities.