ASUTIFI PEOPLE GRATEFUL TO GOVT ...For Sunyani-Acheresua Road (PAGE 40)

From Samuel Duodu, Kenyase No. 1

THE chiefs and people in the Asutifi District of the Brong Ahafo Region have commended the government for reconstructing the Acherensua-Ntotroso-Sunyani trunk road.
According to them, the repair of the road had reduced the number of hours used in travelling from Sunyani to Acherensua, that is from three hours to only 45 minutes.
The Omanhene of Kenyasi No 1 Traditional Area, Nana Kofi Osei Abiri, made the commendation at a durbar of the chiefs and people of the various traditional areas in the district in honour of the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo at Kenyasi No 1 .
The other paramount chiefs who attended the colourful durbar, were Agyewodin (Prof) Adu Gyamfi Ampem, the Omanhene of Acherensua, Odeneho Kwabena Nsiah Ababio, the Omanhene of Kenyasi No 2, Nana Twereko Ampem, the Ntotrosohene, Nana Atta Mensah, Dadiesoabahene and a representative of the Hwidiemhene, Nana Twie Baffour, the Akwamuhene of Kenyasi.
On behalf of the chiefs, Nana Abiri appealed to the minister to increase the allowances paid to Nananom and also improve the conditions of service of the staff of the chieftaincy secretariat posted to all traditional councils in the country.
He urged Mr Boafo to ensure that the provision under which chiefs were consulted in the appointment of people to the district assemblies, was maintained. 
Nana Abiri implored him to use his good office to ensure that Kenyasi being the district capital was given a facelift.
He specifically mentioned the rehabilitation of the town roads and extension of the telecommunication services to the town.
The chief also stressed the need for the government to rehabilitate two bridges over the Tano River on the Sunyani-Acherensua and the Kenyasi-Hwidiem roads.
Nana Abiri urged the minister to ignore chieftaincy contractors in the area, who were fond of writing unnecessary letters to tarnish the image of some personalities within the district.
In his response, Mr Boafo assured the chiefs and people that their concerns would be looked at and addressed appropriately by the government.
He appealed to people fomenting chieftaincy disputes to desist from such negative acts since they retarded the socio-economic development of the area.
Mr Boafo announced that he was in the region to identify the problems confronting chiefs and other traditional rulers in the region as well as workers of his ministry.
He noted that the chieftaincy institution was very relevant that was why the Kufuor administration had set up the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture.
Mr Boafo’s tour took him to the Techiman, Dormaa, Berekum and Nkoranza municipalities, as well as Tano North, Tano South and Jaman South districts, where the chiefs and people held similar durbars in his honour.
Currently, there are about 54 chieftaincy disputes pending before the Brong Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs.
Although the Regional House of Chiefs now has a counsel, members of the judicial committee of the house have failed to attend meetings resulting in delay in the settlement of the disputes.