‘Don’t allow chieftaincy issues to retard development’

The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Sunyani West, Ms Agnes Kusi, has passionately appealed to the people of Nsoatre not to allow chieftaincy issues to divide them to the detriment of the effective development of the area.

She said the assembly on its part was focused on the equitable distribution of development projects to the communities and would, therefore, remain steadfast to that commitment to serve the people without discrimination in accordance with its constitutional mandate.

Ms Kusi maintained that, peace and unity were the hallmark and panacea for the progress of every nation, adding that, the continuous polarisation at Nsoatre, arising out of a chieftaincy dispute would equally continue to stall the growth of the town if such attitude did not stop.

The DCE made the appeal when she addressed the Nsoatre community at a ceremony to inaugurate a durbar ground to serve as a conducive arena for social gatherings, such as funerals, weddings, crusades, seminars and festivals, among other benefits, for the people of Nsoatre and its environs.

Hitherto, such social functions were held at the already busy and small lorry park in the town with marked disturbances.

The project, which was executed by Messrs Apisco Construction Limited, a Sunyani-based firm, was financed through the assembly’s District Development Fund (DDF) at the cost of GH¢140, 080.50, and it is expected that, fees charged for hiring the space would be used for regular maintenance works to ensure prolonged life span.

The DCE, who was emotionally charged, as the function coincided with the first anniversary of the death of former President John Evans Atta Mills, expressed her indignation at the low patronage by the people at the inauguration of the facility which she said was to their own benefit and not any other community.

She explained that, the late Professor Mills stood for humility, hence the decision by the assembly to inaugurate the edifice at that solemn period, with the hope that, the people would reflect soberly on their differences and resort to a change of heart on disputes.

Ms Kusi pointed out that, the assembly had no hand whatsoever in the chieftaincy fracas in the area and so there was no way that any unscrupulous individual or group of persons could have their own way to disturb the general prevailing peace in the district.

She emphasised that, any project that sprang up in the district could not in any way be the property of a single individual but was a collective legacy of the people.

Mr Ishak Twumasi, the District Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), who chaired the function, paid glowing tribute to the former Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo for the instrumental role he played to ensure the successful completion of the project.

By Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah/Ghana