Battor (V/R), Dec. 21, GNA - An appeal has been made to government to as a matter of urgency revive the Quality Grain project at Aveyime to enhance the socio-economic development of the area. The Paramount Chief of Battor Traditional Area, Torgbega Patamia Dzekle VII, said the project needed to be resumed because of its huge potential of creating jobs for the youth thereby giving meaning to government's effort at poverty reduction.
The Paramount Chief who was addressing a grand durbar of chiefs and people of Battor Traditional Area at their annual Thanksgiving festival Hogbeza on Saturday said this would facilitate the development of the area.
The festival is celebrated to mark the people's successful escape from the tyrannical rule of Torgbui Agorkoli at Notsie. He asked the government to re-start the project while the authorities continued to take action to resolve other thorny issues affecting its implementation.
The Paramount Chief said the revival of the project would be in line with government's own programme to support viable rural initiatives that aimed at creating employment and improving the standard of living of people.
He lauded government's effort at ensuring equitable development and asked that part of the GETFund be allocated for the Aveyime Technical School for infrastructure development to increase enrolment and improve quality of education in the area.
He asked the people to eschew divisive tendencies, avoid excessive litigation and chieftaincy disputes and unite to speed up the development of the area.
It was the first time in a long time that a paramount chief had presided over the festival due to protracted chieftaincy disputes. Torgbega Dzekle expressed the hope that the festival would help to remove rancour and the acrimony among the people and restore hope and dignity them.
Mr Nicholas Ahiadorme, District Chief Executive North Tongu, announced that a committee set up by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture to identify prospective investors in the rice project at Aveyime.
However, he said, in the interim plans were well advanced for imported rice to be milled at the factory.
He said a ministerial committee had also been established to revamp the Aveyime Cattle ranch adding government had so far spent over 50 billion cedis on school and health infrastructure.
Government had also provided 250 million cedis as seed money for the start of the National Health Insurance Scheme in the District.
He said to promote self help spirit among the communities, the district assembly would soon implement a policy in which a community which is able to raise 40 per cent of a project cost would be supported by the Assembly with the remaining 60 per cent.
Mr Joe Gidisu, Member of Parliament for the area asked for unity of purpose in all actions.
