Three Regional Ministers Vetted

The Eastern Regional Minister designate, Julius Samuel Kwasi Debrah, has served notice he would work hard to flash out Chinese and other foreigners who are currently engaged in small scale mining in some parts of the country. Appearing before the Appointments Committee of Parliament yesterday for vetting, Mr. Debrah pointed out that small scale mining had been reserved for indigenes, stressing that it was unlawful for foreigners to be involved in the operation. Chinese have taken over small scale mining operations mostly in Ashanti and Eastern regions, resulting in violent clashes including exchange of gunshots between them and local people. Mr. Debrah told the Appointments Committee he would not compromise on foreigners leaving the small scale sector in the region. He was vetted together with two other regional ministers-designate, bringing the total number of President John Dramani Mahama�s ministerial nominees scrutinized so far by the parliamentary committee to 34. The nominees vetted yesterday included Upper East Regional Minister designate Dr. Avea Ephraim Nsoh and Volta Regional Minister-designate Helen Adjoa Ntoso. Mr Debrah pledged to embrace members of other political parties for development of the region, adding, �Your political opponents are not your enemies.� �I will bring everybody together for the development of the region,� he reiterated. Mr. Debrah also promised to work with the chiefs or traditional leaders in the region to develop the region together in harmony. The Eastern Region, he pointed out, was endowed with tourism potentials such as the Akosombo Dam, which attracted a lot of tourists, adding that he would develop all the tourism sites to bring more visitors to the region. Debrah, who is also a former Executive Director of Ghana Tourism Authority, indicated he would package all cultural artifacts in a museum where the rich regalia of chiefs in the region could be exhibited. This, according to him, would serve as a tourist attraction site for revenue generation for the region. Also appearing before the Appointments Committee, Dr. Avea Ephraim Nsoh and Helen Adjoa Ntoso, ministers designate for Upper East and Volta regions respectively, pledged to work hard for the overall development of the their respective regions. Dr. Nsoh, a lecturer at the Department of Gur-Gonja Languages Education at the University of Education, Winneba, indicated he would build on the progress of his predecessors who had all worked hard to bring peace to the region, especially in Bawku and its environs.