Local authorities urged to develop tourism facilities

The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has appealed to Districts and Municipal assemblies to develop tourism facilities in their areas to attract tourists to raise revenue for their development.

Addressing a meeting of the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) on Tuesday, he said the region was endowed with tourism resources but they were not being adequately utilized due to lack of interest by major stakeholders.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo appealed to District and Municipal Chief executives, traditional rulers, Presiding Members and heads of departments to be proactive and not to allow their major roads to deteriorate without taking any action.

He said the Nkawkaw/Atibie road and the Suhum/Asamankese road had deteriorated and needed urgent attention

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said the chief executives should release the 0.5 per cent of the common fund for HIV/AIDS activities as soon as the fund is released.

This will enable district focal persons to carry out the behavioural change programmes drawn up in the districts.

He expressed regret that chieftaincy disputes were threatening the peace and security of the region and appealed to traditional authorities to use their rich experience to resolve them.

The Eastern Regional Director of Agriculture, Mr Godwin Ocloo, said last year the government spent over 34 million Ghana cedis to subsidize fertilizer and the government would be spending about 32 million Ghana cedis this year.

Mr Ocloo said a survey conducted by the Ministry of Food and Agriculture showed that the price of maize from January to June had been relatively lower as compared to that of last year.

This year the region is expected to produce 5,000 hectares of maize under the Youth in Agriculture programme and the block farm project of the ministry.

Mr Ocloo appealed to the Municipal and District Chief executives to encourage their people to vaccinate their dogs against rabies.

Source: GNA