Appoint district, regional heads not on ethnic background - Chief

Saltpond, (C/R), March 7, GNA - The Omanhen of the Nkusukum Traditional Area, Okese Essandoh VIII, has called on the government to encourage the appointment of people to head districts and regions they do not hail from.

"Appointing district chief executives and regional ministers from areas they do not hail from will foster the national unity Ghanaians are yearning for," the Paramount Chief stated.

He was speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the Golden Jubilee Independence parade at Saltpond on Tuesday.

Okesse Essandoh noted that apart from encouraging national unity, appointment of political administrators from outside their home districts and regions would relieve such appointees from pressure for favours from family members and friends and give them the needed peace of mind to work.

He stated that it was the vision of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana's first President to use political appointments and inter tribal marriages to promote national unity hence some members of his party, the Convention People Party (CPP) were made to contest parliamentary elections outside their home constituencies.

The paramount chief expressed concern about the concentration of industries, factories and important projects in some few areas and described the practice as "risky".

"It is like carrying all your eggs in one basket, " he stated and added that, it encouraged the rural - urban drift.

Twenty-eight basic and second cycle schools took part in the parade, which was reviewed by Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, Mfantseman DCE, the District Director of Education, Police Commander and Fire Officer. Prizes were distributed to winners of quiz competitions organised as part of activities marking the anniversary for basic and senior secondary schools and senior citizens.

Saltpond Catholic Girls' School won the 1st prize in the march past in both the Primary and JSS divisions while Mfantseman Girls Secondary School won the SSS division.