Mim (B/A), Sept 5, GNA- Nana Kofi Boffah, acting President of Mim Traditional Council, has complained about the poor state of Mim in spite of its significant contributions to the national economy.
He claimed that although Mim contributes largely to the country's foreign exchange earnings, it remains the poorest in terms of infrastructure and cautioned that it should not be surprising if the people refuse to exercise their franchise in the next elections. Nana Boffah, who is also Nifahene of Mim, was speaking at a durbar organized in honour of Nana Kwadwo Seinti, Regional Minister, who toured the town as part of a working visit to the Asunafo District. ''Notwithstanding series of official approaches to successive governments to come to the aid of the people, the town still lacks a full-fledged hospital, post office facilities and other basic amenities'', the chief said.
He said the few amenities in the town, were provided by the management of the original Mim Timber Company (MTC).
"If the government does not effect change in our lives it will not be surprising if people in the area refuse to exercise their franchise come the 2004 elections", he said
The chief alleged that the people have learnt that Kukuom in the district has been tipped to be the capital of the proposed new district within Asunafo, saying Mim with a population of 22,000 with adequate resources should rather be made the capital.
Nana Seinti said creation of a new district capital is the sole responsibility of the President and asked Nananom in the traditional area to channel their petition in relation to the location of the capital to the appropriate quarters.
He advised the people to exercise restraint and promised that the NPP government would do everything possible to satisfy every part of the nation with amenities as and when necessary.
At Goaso Nana Seinti interacted with Heads of Departments and advised them to change their attitude to work.
The Regional Minister inspected extension work being carried out at the Goaso Government Hospital.
He visited the 160 million cedis' medical stores funded under the Social Investment Fund (SIF) and the construction of new wards being funded by the Asunafo District Assembly at a cost of 200 million cedis. The people and chiefs of Goaso appealed to the Regional Minister to provide the District Office of the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) with a fire tender.
They also called for the extension of electricity to the zongo community and the upgrading of one of the Senior Secondary Schools as a model institution.
The chiefs complained about the poor state of the Goaso-Bechem Junction road and called for its rehabilitation as well as the installation of telephone facilities in the area. Nana Seinti said the government has contracted 150 million dollars' loan to ensure that all towns in the country enjoy the facility and mentioned Alcatel as the contractors to handle the telephone project.
Nana Seinti commissioned a 160-million-cedis block for the Methodist Junior Secondary School constructed under the SIF programme. At Ayomso the Regional Minister on behalf of President Kufour presented a sewing machine and four million cedis to Ms. Janet Nyametease who was the only person who registered during the recent registration of the unemployed in the Asunafo District and has completed a six-month sewing training at the Fawohoyeden Youth Leadership Training School (FLTS).
The Regional Minister said the presentation was the President's appreciation to Janet for appreciating what the government is doing for the unemployed.
Nana Seinti expressed surprise that only one person registered in the district, saying, the government believed that poverty alleviation meant a change in policy to assist the unemployed to be gainfully employed through training and acquisition of skills. 05 Sept. 03
