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The Omanhene of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Prof. (Emeritus) Oti Boateng, has entreated political actors to prioritise the maintenance of peace and security of the country in their activities.

He urged them to make next year’s general election successful and without acrimony, as witnessed in previous elections under the Fourth Republic.

“I admonish political actors, right from the local to the national level, to value peace and tranquillity and let a united Ghana be their overriding goal,” he added.

Daasebre Oti Boateng made the call at a grand durbar to mark the Akwantukese Festival in Koforidua in the Eastern Region last Saturday.

The durbar climaxed a week-long celebration in remembrance of the migration of the people from their ancestral home in Ashanti to their present settlement in New Juaben.

Elections

“This is not the first time we are going to embark on such a political journey; this will, indeed, be the eighth election in the Fourth Republic. And just as our predecessors bequeathed a peaceful and united Motherland Ghana to us in all these years, the next election cycle cannot and must not be an exception.

“We expect a peaceful nation to be bequeathed to us after the 2020 elections, since this country is the only collective property we have for our unborn generation. The stakes of development are too high to trade our collective destiny and the future of our generation on the altar of political violence, divisionism, disrespect for the elderly and scathing insults,” Daasebre Oti Boateng said.

Competition of ideas

He also charged the people to come up with innovations and ideas to support the development of the country.

“Let’s all embrace 2020 as the landmark year of competition of ideas in all sectors of development, including the traditional, social and political spheres; a year of creative thinking and imaginative competence, twin thrust of leadership, to put Ghana on a competitive wheel of development.

“We need to compete on the basis of ideas in our quest for nation-building. We cannot bequeath a transient moment of individualistic aggrandisement, wealth, influence and power as our generations’ leadership legacy. We can only bequeath a globally competitive, imaginative, creative thinking and inter-generational leadership relevance to Ghana’s development,” he added.

The Omanhene further called on traditional authorities to adopt the Root-based Development Model, the first Pan-African development model, for the growth of their traditional areas, adding: “All is now set for the implementation of the award-winning root-based development model in all the 12 communities constituting this traditional area.”

He commended the innovators of a cart palanquin for the conveyance of traditional rulers to durbar grounds.

Daasebre Oti Boateng presented eight people with the Yiadom-Hwedie Award of Excellence for their role in the invention of the cart palanquin.

They were Dr John Bonney, Messrs Justice Atsu, Ebenezer Tetteh Nanor, John Abban, Gabriel Tetteh-Quao, Foster Dokpe, Atta Yussif and Gratis Amanor.

Admonishment

A Deputy Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and Member of Parliament of New Juaben North, Mr Kwasi Adjei Boateng, urged the people of New Juaben to continue to live in harmony for accelerated development.

He also called on the electorate to actively participate in the December 17, 2019 district level elections and referendum.