Government urged to establish airstrips...

Kpandai (N/R), Jan.16, GNA - The government has been called upon to consider the establishment of airstrips in conflict and disaster prone areas throughout the country.

These facilities, if put in place, would be used to act quickly in response to conflict and disaster situations when they occur, especially to facilitate the supply of relief items and the provision of medical services.


Mr. Jacob Gbati, Managing Director of Global Cargo and Commodities Limited, a Tema-based shipping company made the call when he presented two Honda motorcycles valued at 15 million cedis to the Kpandai Police on Sunday.


Mr Gbati, who hails from the area, noted that the absence of these facilities had hampered efforts to address conflict and disaster situations due to the remoteness of some of these communities and the deplorable nature of the roads.


He said, he was moved by the inadequate logistics of the Ghana Police Service,, especially the Kpandai Police, noting: "The presentation of the motorcycles is my social responsibility to help the Police to maintain peace in the area".


He said there could be no meaningful development if there was no peace and urged all the ethnic groups and those who did business in the area to help maintain the peace to enable the people to go about their economic, social and political activities without any hindrance. Mr. Gbati commended the Kpandai Police for keeping peace in the area despite the constraints and urged them to put the motorcycles to good use to promote and sustain the peace.

The Managing Director called on citizens from the area to pool resources for development and advised the youth to forge ahead in unity, devoid of political and chieftaincy considerations.


Mr. Gbati said: "This part of our world is the least developed in the country as we lack good roads, schools and water, while at the same time the people are plagued with the guinea worm and other diseases, which we need to fight instead of fighting among ourselves". He called on the media to regard themselves as partners in development and should therefore champion the social responsibilities of the people to make life better for all.


The East Gonja District Police Commander, Assistant Superintendent of Police, (ASP), Mr. Dennis Fiakpui, thanked Mr. Gbati for the gesture, noting that if the police were not well resourced they would not be able to deliver and called on other well-meaning citizens to come to the aid of the police.


Najombi Nyog, chief of Boya, a village near Kpandai, appealed to the youth to cooperate with the police when they were detailed to make any arrest and stop preventing them from arresting criminals.


The Reverend Father Timothy Akanson, Parish Priest of the Saint Kizito Catholic Church at Kpandai also presented a typewriter to the Police to facilitate their administrative work as part of the church's commitment to enhancing peace in the area.