The Akwamuhene of Bekwai Traditional Council (BTC), Nana Ntiamoah Amankuo III says traditional leaders cannot continue to rely on government to develop their communities and towns.
The chief wants his colleagues to use resources generated by their stools to initiate community projects and economic empowerment programmes to improve the well-being of their subjects.
Speaking at the opening of a new palace complex for the Bekwai Akwamu stool, Nana Amankuo said resources of a stool did not belong to the chief alone but also his subjects who must be benefactors of any largesse that is accrued to the stool.
“This palace that you see today was constructed by me, but it belongs to the Asona family and the entire people of Bekwai community,” the chief stated.
According to Nana Amankuo, he noticed that the Akwamu palace was in bad shape when he was sworn in as the Akwamu chief of Bekwai, and therefore decided to put up a befitting modern palace for the people.
He indicated that the palace which was built at the cost of GHȼ400,000 has a conference hall and three chamber and hall apartments fitted with toilet facilities that can be used for all purposes, including the sitting in state of Nananom.
Prior to this, the chief had contributed to the construction of a clinic at Bepotenten, a farming community in his traditional area aside donating a number of computers to some selected schools in the area.
He mentioned Jacobu ICES, Afoako D/A Primary School and Denase M/A Basic School as some of the beneficiaries.
Responding to a question, Nana Ntiamoah explained that palace is a first point of call when any visitor comes to town so it was ideal to pull down and restructure the Akwamu palace. He disclosed that he used resources of his stool and philanthropic aids to build the new palace.
He appealed to President John Mahama to make the district a benefactor of the ongoing infrastructure projects as roads in the area are in deplorable state.
A representative of the Bekwai paramount chief, Nana Opoku Adonten, praised the Akwamuhene for his good works and urged other chiefs to emulate the Akwamuhene’s initiative.
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