Speak against acts of provocation and insults on the Presidency - Kufuor

Accra, Sept. 7, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor on Wednesday asked chiefs to speak against acts of political provocation and insults on the presidency by some politicians to help to stave off unnecessary tension in the country.

He said everything had its critical point of endurance, adding that the dirt throwing and insults against his person and family could be tolerated to certain extent.

President Kufuor was receiving a delegation of chiefs from the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District of the Central Region at the Castle, Osu on Wednesday.

They were there to him for his recent visit to the area and to renew appeals made to his Government during his tour.

President Kufuor said it was totally unacceptable for any individual to assume that he was bigger than the law or was the only person, who could determine what was good for Ghanaians.

If anyone thought that the President had breached the law, the right thing to do was to make use of the due processes of the law to secure appropriate sanctions. The Constitution and the laws of the country must be respected.

He said on the balance sheet, the performance of his Government had been tremendous and enviable, adding that praise must be given where it was due.

President Kufuor said the Government would continue to pursue the right and appropriate policies and provide honest and transparent leadership to move the country forward.

Responding to an appeal by the chiefs to help to build a tomato and vegetable factory in the area to give farmers a ready market for their produce, he said it was the policy of his Government not to go into direct establishment of businesses but to encourage and support private initiatives.

He said in line with this a Business Promotion Bank that would give loans to small-scale business operators at moderate interest rates, would soon open in the country.

It would have branches in all the regional capitals and the districts.

President Kufuor told the chiefs that the Government would also look at ways of making the Ghana Institute of Languages located at Ajumako, a Campus of one of the universities, in view of its importance. He said as Ghana was sandwiched between Francophone countries it was important that the learning of the French language was taken more seriously to enable the country to benefit fully from its membership of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

President Kufuor said he was not happy with the situation where many Ghanaians were not literate in their own local languages, adding that the Institute could help to correct this.

Nana Okofo Amoako Bondam III, Omanhene of Enyam Maim Traditional Area, who led the delegation, said they were grateful to the President for not only giving their district a fair share of development projects but also re-appointing Mr Isaac Edumadze, as the Central Regional Minister.

He appealed to President Kufuor to help to get a resident doctor posted to the Ajumako Hospital to save the people the trouble of traveling to Cape Coast to receive medical treatment.

They also want the Ajumako-Abasa road to be put in good shape and either a Vocational or Secondary Technical School established in the District.

Mr Isaac Edumadze, Central Regional Minister, accompanied the delegation to the Castle.