Shai chief demands equal share of national cake

The chiefs and people of the Shai Traditional Area in the Shai Osudoku district of the Greater Accra Region, have celebrated their annual Shai (Se) Ngmayemi Festival with a renewed call on government to offer the area its fair share of developmental projects as well initiate and expedite action on developmental projects in the Shai Traditional Area and the Shai Osudoku District as a whole.

This year’s event was on the theme: “The pride of Shai, our toll for socio economic development.”

Though the Shai Traditional Area is endowed with huge mineral resources dating back to the early 1940s, Chief of Manya Jorpanya and Adontenhene of Shai Traditional Area, Nene Teye Gyanhene Korabuor IV expressed concern over the state of poverty in the area.

He therefore made a passionate appeal to the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo Addo to as a matter of urgency ensure that the people of Shai benefit from the natural resources of the area or risk facing a massive demonstration by the people to drum home their call.

“Your Excellency Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Shai Traditional Area and for that matter the Shai State is endowed with a huge mineral resource dating back to the early 1940s but the people live in abject poverty,” Nene Teye Gyanhene Korabuor IV observed.

“We as a traditional area have gotten to a stage whereby our patience to have our portion of the national cake has been overstretched and the next decision to reach when our needs are not met would be to hit the streets and fight for what we think is due us as a community.”

Addressing hundreds of Shai indigenes at the Presbyterian park at Dodowa to climax the Shai (Se) Ngmayemi Festival, Nene Teye Gyanhene Korabuor IV who doubles as chairman of the festival planning committee who disclosed that about 60% of the gravels mined in the area is used in the development of all other infrastructure in the country cited the construction and the recent expansion of the Tema harbor, roads as well as other developmental projects as coming from the Shai Hills.

The bad nature of roads linking the Shai State, lack of proper infrastructure and tools by most community schools in the area, according to the chief were concerns that must be addressed urgently.

In line with the theme of the area towards socio economic development, the Chief of Manya Jorpanya called on his fellow traditional leaders to unite to pursue their common interest of development from government.

He also admonished the youth to stay away from drugs which he described as a menace with destructive tendencies.

District Chief Executive for Shai Osudoku, Mr. Daniel Akuffo in his position as chairman of the District Security Committee (DISEC) while commending the chiefs and people of Shai for keeping faith with the festival however admonished the parties involved in chieftaincy disputes to use the theme for the festival, “The pride of Shai, our toll for socio economic development,” to dialogue to amicably settle all differences between them in order to achieve development for their people.

The DCE who cited the proximity of the district to the national capital, Accra, for the developing phenomenon of land guards said residential and industrial activities were gradually heading towards the Shai Osudoku District since Accra is congested, resulting in the increase in handguard activities and its associated security threats.

In a bid to curb the activities of land guards in the district, the DCE announced the formation of a multi security taskforce to deal with such miscreants and therefore cautioned perpetrators of such acts to desist from those activities or risk being dealt with by the law.

The Assembly Chief enumerated a number of developmental projects being undertaken by the Akuffo Addo Government and the Shai Osudoku District Assembly in the Shai area including a 3-unit classroom block with office and store at Dodowa Methodist, 6.7km bitumen surface of Dodowa town roads, replacement of solar street lights with LED street lights, renovation of the Dodowa court, a total of 38-seater WC toilet facilities at various locations in the Shai area and some health facilities at Doryumu, Sota and Ayikuma, with the firm assurance to undertake further developments in the district.

Mr. Daniel Akuffo who regretted the poor participation in clean up exercises called on the traditional leaders and other stakeholders to join forces to ameliorate the situation.

As part of efforts to punish sanitation offenders to maintain a clean environment in line with the president’s vision, Mr. Akuffo announced the passing of by-laws to punish sanitation and related offenders.

He therefore took the opportunity to inform the citizenry to take advantage of the national sanitation day clean up exercises since sanitation is a collective responsibility.

Municipal Chief Executive for Kpone Katamanso in his speech noted that any society or ethnic group which loses its language is non-existent.

Mr. Solomon Tettey Appiah admonished Ga-Adangmes to ensure the sustenance of their language and cultures to ensure its continued existence.

He maintained that one’s custom, culture and family structure were important values which define a group of people and which need to be preserved for future generations.

Prizes were resented to various teams who excelled in various sporting activities.