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The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu has called on the President to always consider appointing knowledgeable, competent and patriotic Ghanaians to administer the affairs of the metropolitan, municipal and the district assemblies. He said some metropolitan, municipal and the district chief executives are not helping government to meet its aspirations and vision to alleviate the plight of the citizenry. They rather exhibit incompetence in the discharge of their core functions. Otumfuo Osei Tutu made the call when the Ashanti Regional Minister, Eric Opoku addressed the first meeting of the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs for the year, in Kumasi. Radio Ghana�s Razak Baba who sat in for Radio Ghana says the meeting is the maiden interaction of Mr. Eric Opoku with members of the House since he assumed duty as the Ashanti Regional Minister. According to him, Otumfuo Osei Tutu lauded Government construction works that was completed at the Maternal and Child Health Block at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, which was started in the 1970s but abandoned. He said the Asantehene advised the Regional Minister and the Mayor of Kumasi, Kojo Bonsu to collaborate towards the enhancement of the social and economic fortunes of people in the region. Otumfuo Osei Tutu also pledged Nananom�s support towards Government�s success in administrating the region. The Ashanti Regional Minister, Eric Opoku, assured Nananom that Government will continue to deliver on its mandate to providing the needed amenities and develop the infrastructure that are necessary to make life better for Ghanaians. And repeated Government�s commitment to complete on-going projects in the region, such as the Sofoline Interchange, Boankra Inland Port and the Affordable Housing Project at Asokore Mampong. The Minister he said announced that since the NDC government assumed office in 2009, approximately 120 million Ghana Cedis has been expended in the Ashanti Region on the provision of various schools, health, and other social infrastructure such as classroom blocks, dormitory blocks, assembly and dining halls, science laboratories, teachers bungalows, markets centres and clinics, all aimed at improving the living standards of target beneficiaries through sound infrastructure facilities and good quality services. Mr. Opoku however said in spite of the gains made, the country is faced with some challenges, which require all hands on deck in marching towards total national development to accelerate the growth of economy, provide equal opportunities for all, ensuring public safety and security as well as assured livelihoods for the citizenry. The Minister according to the report, appealed to the Ashanti Regional House of Chiefs to continue to rally behind government in its efforts to transform society in implementing strategies to achieve the targets set in each of the sectors to ensure the achievement of long term development plans for the region. He also pledged to ensure the elimination of unwarranted time and cost-overruns in project implementation in the region. The Conference Hall and Office Project of the Regional House of Chiefs which was started in November, 1999 will also be given the attention to ensure its speedy completion.