Ministry asked to intervene in
Atonkor-Buem (V/R), Nov 14, GNA - The Coalition For Peace and Development in Buem (COPADIB) has appealed to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture to assist in the settlement of the chieftaincy dispute involving Nana Aburam Akpandze IV, Omanhene of the Buem Traditional Area and some divisional chiefs.
Mr. Isaka Buraima, President of COPADIB, said the Coalition suggested the initiative because of the capacity of Mr. Sampson Kwaku Boafo, the sector minister, in peace building.
He cited the effective role Mr. Boafo played in the resolution of a 17-year chieftaincy dispute in the Akpini Traditional Area in the Volta Region, recently.
Mr. Buraima was speaking at the Annual Buem Congress and fundraising organised by the Coalition on the theme: "Buem Rediscovery: Development Through education," at Atankor, Buem, in the Jasikan District on Saturday.
He said: "The COPADIB has confidence in the minister because of his track record in conflict resolution. We also appeal to Mr. Kofi Dzamasi, the Volta Regional Minister, and Togbega Gabusu VI, President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs and the Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area, to assist in the settlement of the Buem chieftaincy dispute as they did in the case in the Akpini Area."
Mr. Buraima commended government for the creation of more districts, municipal and metropolitan assemblies to enhance the administration of the country and to accelerate national development. He expressed the hope that government would consider the request of the people of the northern part of the Volta Region for the creation of a new region for that part of the region to facilitate development. "This would also ensure equitable distribution of the national cake, inclusion of the area for active participation in the economic life of Ghana and accelerate and sustain the development of the area." He said the Coalition had already made suggestions on the issue based on geographical, economic, administrative and development factors devoid of ethnicity.
Mr. Buraima urged the people, especially the youth of Buem, to rehabilitate their abandoned cocoa farms destroyed by wild bush fire that swept across the country in 1983, since government had initiated a programme to revamp the cocoa industry.
Mr. Buraima expressed worry that even though government was rehabilitating school structures, constructing new school blocks and training more teachers, the performance of schools in the area continued to be poor.
He said in some schools much of the contact hours, which should have ensured that teachers worked efficiently, were used in the engagement of school children in economic activities. Mr. Buraima said indiscipline on the part of both school children and teachers resulted in drunkenness, laziness, absenteeism and drug abuse affecting academic work.
He appealed to parents to take advantage of the Capitation Grant and the Schools Feeding Programme to enroll their children in school and to provide them with educational materials to supplement government efforts at promoting education.
Mr. Buraima advised school children to take their studies seriously to enable them pass their examinations instead of spending their time at funerals, video shows, dances and other social gathering. Mr. Solomon Kwame Donkor, the District Chief Executive, commended the Coalition for instituting the annual congress to mobilise human and material resources and funds for development to supplement government's efforts.
He said the New Education Reform was aimed at making the educational system relevant to the country's developmental needs, and called on all Ghanaians to support its implementation. Mr Donkoh said since 2001 the Buem area had benefited from 88 projects, including electrification, educational projects and road construction and called on the people to support government developmental agenda.
He cited the transformation of Buem Secondary School into a model school, the construction of additional blocks for the Jasikan Training College, upgrading of the single-phase electricity supply to three-phase and the rehabilitation of the Jasikan/Bodada road. 14 Nov. 07
