Kufuor says review of payment of royalties will be by laid down

procedures

Obuasi (Ash), Aug 22, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Thursday said any review in the payment of royalties on natural resources to stools and skins will be based on laid down statutory procedures.

He said such a review will not be arbitrary and government would also ensure that stools and skins were paid the appropriate royalties due them after consultations with the appropriate ministries and institutions.

President Kufuor was reacting to an appeal by the Adansihene, Nana Ofori Agyemang II at a durbar of chiefs and people at Obuasi, that payment of nine percent on royalties to stools should be increased to 30 percent.

President Kufuor is on an official tour of the 18 metropolitan and districts in the Ashanti region.

He assured the people that government would rule by the tenets of the constitution that derived its power from the people and not lord it over them.

President Kufuor said the period of rule by intimidation and fear in the country was over and urged the people to support the government to ensure that no one usurps the constitution to take their power and mandate from them.

Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, Ashanti Regional Minister, said about 600 million cedis out of the estimated 3.4 billion cedis for the reactivation of the abandoned hospital at Fomena, has been released to the Regional Co-ordinating Council for the project.

Nana Agyemang commended government for the improvement in the road network in some parts of the district as well as provision of health, educational facilities and potable water to the people.

He appealed to the government to establish a campus of any of the universities at the Akrokerri Training College.