President Kufuor commended for rising above cheap politicking

Akyem Swedru (E/R), Oct. 2, 05 GNA - The acting President of the Akyem Bosome Traditional Area, Professor (Nana) Ofosu Kodan, has praised President Kufuor for keeping faith with the people through a demonstration that he would not take undue advantage of them by means of cheap politicking.

Professor Kodan said though the traditional council was beset with myriad of social problems, they were nevertheless satisfied with the genuine efforts by the President to help resolve them. Speaking, when the Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Yaw Barimah paid a courtesy call on him at Akyem Swedru on Friday, he said the traditional council's satisfaction with President Kufuor was borne out by the fact that, while it was often rare for political leaders to redeem their numerous pledges promptly to the people, this was not so in his case.

Nana Kodan cited the President's fulfilment of a pledge of acquiring a bus for the Akyem Swedru Secondary School (AKISS), the lodging of 500 million cedis with the Birim South District Assembly for the construction of a girl's dormitory for AKISS, while provisions had been made in the next budget for more resources for the school. Prof. Kodan nonetheless advised the government not to become complaisant with its achievement but rather endeavour to focus more on providing for the educational and economic needs of the people to uplift their standards of living.

"The government must, for instance, consider a special policy to tackle the sewage and sanitation needs of district assemblies, since the local government authorities were mostly found wanting in this regard in view of the huge financial burden this entailed", Nana Kodan suggested.

Responding, Mr Barimah re-affirmed government's commitment towards ensuring a just and equitable society that harnessed individual talents for the betterment of the citizenry. On problems faced by the Amantia community, following the location of a forest reserve in the locality that had deprived them of arable lands, Mr Barimah said dialogue would be opened with the Forestry Commission to help resolve the issue.

Mr Barimah's call on the Akyem Bosome Traditional Council, which formed part of his familiarization tour of the region, was accompanied by Miss Susana Mensah, Deputy Eastern Regional Minister, Mr S.A. Manu, the Regional Co-coordinating Director, Mr Frank Busumtwi, Birim South DCE and Mr Kweku Owusu Baah, Chief Director of the Ministry of Food and Agriculture.