CONTROVERSY SURRONDING TWO DISTRICTS RESOLVED ...(Page 16)

Story: Kwame Asare Boadu, Kumawu

THE controversy surrounding the naming of two newly-created districts in the Ashanti Region has been resolved, paving way for their inauguration later this month, the Minister of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment, Mr Kwadwo Adjei-Darko, has disclosed.
One of the districts which was originally known as Kumawu Afram Plains District, would now be called Sekyere Afram Plains District, while the other, formerlly called Nsuta-Kwaman-Beposo District is now Sekyere Central District.
Their district capitals, however, are still Kumawu for the Sekyere Afram Plains District, and Nsuta for the Sekyere Central District.
Mr Adjei-Darko who was addressing the chiefs and people of Sekyere Afram Plains District at Kumawu last Tuesday in preparation for the inauguration of the district, said it was important for the people of the new district, which was carved out of the Sekyere East District, to agree on the naming of the district.
He advised that every law relating to naming should be taken seriously by the people to help eliminate some of the problems in the system.
The minister said the request by some communities in the Atebubu District to join the Sekyere Afram Plains District because of proximity, had been rejected by the government because that would amount to redemarcating regional boundaries between the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regions.
He stated that the new districts had been catered for in the Common Fund allocation for this year, to enable them to take off without much difficulties.
The new districts would also benefit from the President’s special projects for all the districts in the country.
Mr Adjei-Darko said about GH¢10,400 was being spent on scholchildren who were benefiting from the School Feeding Programe in the Sekyere East District every month.
The minister said the government was determined to increase the pace of development in even the remotest parts of the country and, therefore, called on the people to reject people who only wanted to spread false information about the government for political reasons.
The Member of Parliament for Kumawu, Mr Yaw Baah, traced the genesis of the request for a new district for the area which dated back to the PNDC era, and said it was refreshing that it was the NPP government under President Kufuor who had given them their request.
He said it was important for the people to continue to forge ahead in unity to ensure accelerated development.
The District Chief Executive for Sekyere East, Mr Philip Basoah, assured the President that the people of the new district had resolved to make land available for the various projects that the government would undertake at Kumawu.
In the interim, he said, a citizen of the town had released a four-storey building at Kumawu for use as administration block for the district assembly.