<<Print>>

The President of the National House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV, says it is the desire of chiefs and traditional authorities to be an integral part of the government’s One-District, One Factory policy.

This is because, the project when materialized, will go a long way to reduce the rate of unemployment as well as contribute significantly to the development of the various districts and the nation as a whole.

“I have been meeting with some embassies in Accra to build external relations and as part of the discussions, I have expressed the desire of nananom to be part of the government’s One-District, One Factory policy. I have already been to the embassies of South Korea, Canada, U.S and China”, Togbe Afede, who is also the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State in the Volta Region, said when he addressed the First Annual General Meeting of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs held in Sunyani.

It was the first time in the history of the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs that a sitting President of the National House of Chiefs had participated in their AGM.

Togbe Afede XIV also commended government for its commitment toward the fight against corruption in the country, saying “corruption does not help in our development process and hinders our commitment to develop as a people.”

“Nananom should support government in the fight against corruption. Nananom should be able to monitor the implementation of projects executed by government to ensure value for money,” he added.

Togbe Afede XIV explained: “our President cannot be everywhere all the time; Ministers of State cannot be everywhere all the time but we (Nananom) are on the ground and it would be in our own interest to help deal with corruption and promote development in our traditional areas.”

He entreated members of various Regional Houses of Chiefs to unite and make conscious efforts at championing development programmes and projects in the various traditional areas.

“Every Member of Parliament belongs to a traditional area; each Minister of State belongs to a traditional area; each business executive belongs to a traditional area; and so if we work in unity, if we all work together and focus on how to collectively advance our traditional areas, we can achieve a lot more,” Togbe Afede stressed.

The President of the National House of Chiefs condemned the recent attempt by some people to create another country out the Volta Region, saying “it good that they have been arrested by the Police.”

He said chiefs in the Volta Region are committed to a united Ghana and categorically distanced them from the alleged attempt to create a divided front of the people of the region.

The Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, was there for the first time since he became a Minister barely a month ago. He was enstooled as the 50th member of the House under the stool name Nana Aduonum.

Addressing the House after his enstoolment and admission into the House, Mr Asomah-Cheremeh pledged to work closely with the chiefs to advance the development of the region.

“May I bring to the attention of Nananom the urgent need for us to work together to achieve development for the region and thus resolve the numerous chieftaincy disputes that have lingered on for several years and constitute a major security challenge in the region,” he added.

The Regional Minister described as “embarrassing” the recent happenings at Banda Ahenkro in the Banda District where an anonymous warning was given to non-indigenes to vacate the area immediately.

“A worrying situation that is emerging in Banda Ahenkro which is embarrassing to the region should be a concern to all Nananom. This has to do with an anonymous threat issued to all non-indigenes of Banda to leave the town else their safety cannot be guaranteed,” the Minister said.

He said the District Security Committee had already met on the issue and submitted a report to the Regional Security Council, which had also met on the issue.