The Western Regional Administration has declared war on smugglers of fuel, cocoa and other items across the Ghana-Cote D'Ivoire border.
As part of the measures to combat the smugglers whose activities undermine the country's economy, border and sea patrols by the security agencies have been intensified.
This has culminated in the arrests of smugglers at sea and seizure of large qualities of drums of pre-mix fuel, six outboard motors, sawn timber, bundles of nets, quantities of alcoholic drinks and provisions and leaves suspected to be Indian hemp by the police and the navy.
The Administration has also ordered the closure of all filling stations located within 30 miles of the region's international borders to curtain the high incidence of fuel smuggling to neighbouring countries.
An another measure is the restriction of the lifting, distribution and state of premix fuel to chief fishermen "so that the fuel can go directly to fishermen and therefore lower the cost of fish."
Throwing more light on the measures, Mr. J.B. Aidoo, Western Regional Minister said they are aimed at putting an end to the unacceptable practice by which private individuals had hijacked the distribution and sale of pre mix fuel at huge profits at the expense of the poor fishermen.
Mr. Aidoo said "the measure has attracted a backlash from some unscrupulous elements who have tried to re-establish their hold on the premix fuel, but their efforts have failed and will continue to fail." He was speaking at a mid-year review meeting with the press at Sekondi on Saturday June 30, 2001.
Mr. Aidoo paid tribute to the naval personnel who lost their lives at sea in the course of their patriotic duties to arrest fuel smugglers. He announced that a board has been set up to investigate the circumstances leading to their death.
The Regional Minister reviewed his stewardship over the last quarter and outlined the development programme for the region for the years ahead. On education, he said measures would be put in place to improve the quality of education, especially in distress areas.
The measures will include incentives for teachers to accept postings to those areas.
Mr. Aidoo announced that the government is providing a total of ?4.35 billion this year for various projects in 53 basic and secondary institutions in the region.
The projects range from the construction of dormitory, classroom and science blocks to the erection of teachers' bungalows, dinning and assembly hall complexes.
He asked the District Assemblies to invest a sizeable proportion of their budgets in their districts. Mr. Aidoo warned that the administration would not tolerate shoddy work by contractors who would win contracts for the projects.
Highlights for pending projects are Health Education: campaign against HIV/AIDS would be stepped up particularly in the rural areas through the use of mobile audio-video programmes whilst a total of ?3.58 billion is to be spent by the government in the regional health delivery system.
The Wassa Akropong and Juabeso health centres would also be upgraded to district hospitals and health centres constructed at Nkroful and Samenye. Roads: A huge amount of investment is to be made in a number of feeder roads in the region.
Mr. Aidoo outlined steps being taken by the government to create job openings for the youth. He announced that he would devote the next half-year to intensify efforts to woo both local and foreign investors to the region to take advantage.
