Initiate Regional Development Fund - Doctor

Apam (C/R), May 22, GNA -- The Medical Superintendent of Apam Catholic Mission Hospital, Dr Charles Ntiamoah Takyi has suggested to the Central Regional House of Chiefs to team up with organized business concerns and religious bodies in the Region to launch a special development fund to promote the socio-economic advancement of the region.

Churches, Islamic organizations, Traditional Councils, registered non-governmental organizations, business concerns, farmers and fishermen groups and individuals would be obliged to contribute some amount of money to the fund every four months to make it financially sound all the time.

Traditional councils in the Region, in consultation with the board of trustees of the proposed fund would be mandated to propose a fee to be paid by every adult citizen in the Region to the fund and supported by bye-laws.

Monies that would accrue from the proposed fund could be used to promote health and educational activities, as well as the creation of viable economic ventures to provide employment opportunities for the jobless in the Region.

He said the high poverty tag that the Region had been labelled, as one of the four most economically-deprived Regions in the country was an issue of great concern to the people in the area.

Dr Takyi was commenting on the high rate of poverty in the Region and the numerous social mishaps associated with it, including maternal mortality, during interaction with the press at Apam on Friday. Dr Takyi did not accept the perception that the Central Region is a poor community, adding that with the vast number of technocrats and other rich manpower requirements that abounds in the region, the Central Region should not count itself as one of the poorest communities in the country.

He said perhaps what the Region needs urgently was total and effective re-organization and critical examination of her abundant manpower and other resources to enable it to reassert herself well on the socio-economic beacon of the nation.

Dr Takyi said to ensure the success of the proposed Regional Development fund, steps must be taken to educate people in the Region against the destructive effects of all forms of litigation.

Measures must be initiated to withdraw all land and chieftaincy disputes resting with the law courts for peaceful settlement at home to save parties involved from further expenses on such matters.

Dr Takyi expressed the optimism that when this was done the people would be able to make positive contribution to the proposed Regional Development Fund to accelerate development of the Region and salvage it from perpetual economic bondage.