Aburi Chiefs Release 20,000 Hectares Of Land To Govt - To Support One-District, One-Factory Policy

The chiefs and people of Aburi-Adonten have released about 20,000 hectares of land to support the government's industrialisation policy. "The Aburi-Adonten traditional authority has decided to release between

15,000 and 20,000 hectares as industrial park to support the one-district, one-factory policy of the government," the Akuapem-Adontenhene, Otobour Djan Kwasi II, aannounced this at the Odwira Festival of the chiefs and people of Aburi-Adonten.

The chief also announced the formation of a 22-member planning committee to carry out a palace infrastructural development project to commemorate the 30th anniversary of his reign.

A seed capital of GH¢100,000 has been set aside for the project, while individuals and groups also made pledges in cash and in kind to support the project.

Colour

About one hour of rain at the start of the programme nearly marred the colourful celebration. However, glitz, glamour and pageantry was in full display as the hundreds of people in the area defied the rains and carried on with the celebration.

Held on the theme: "Promoting civic responsibilities towards sustainable environment,"

The festival brought together traditional rulers, political figures and a section of the

public.

Dignitaries

The Speaker of Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Professor Mike Aaron Oquaye; a Deputy
Minister of Local Government and Rural Development and Member of Parliament (MP) forAkuapem South, Mr O. B. Amoah; the District Chief Executive (DCE) of Akuapem-
South District, Mr Frank Adu, were among the political figures who graced the occasion.

Also present at the festival was the Manfehene, Osabarima Ansah Sasraku, as well as other sub-chiefs in the Aburi-Adonten traditional area.

Amid firing of muskets, blowing of horns, chanting of war songs and artistic dance moves, the rich culture of the people was in full glare.

Aburi Gardens

Otobour Djan Kwasi called on the government to revamp the Aburi Botanical Gardens to meet international tourist standards.

"The Botanical Garden needs a facelift in terms of lodging, restaurants and a maintenance culture to attract more visitors and generate more revenue for the country.

Processes that began under the previous government for a public-private partnership to revamp the garden have stalled for some time now.

I call on the current government to, as soon as possible, restart the processes to make the iconic garden attractive again," he said.

Fix roads

Otobour Djan Kwasi also urged the government to take immediate steps to fix the falling boulders on the Ayi Mensa-Aburi Hills stretch of the road, saying although one

section of the dual carriage road was closed to traffic to pave the way for work to be done to prevent the rocks from falling, the work stalled.

He also called on the government to fix the community roads that were in a deplorable state, mentioning specifically the Aburi-Nsawam, Ketase-

Brekusu-Kwabenya, and the Aburi-Adamorobe roads.

Source: Daily Graphic