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Okyehene Amoatia Ofori Panyin has bemoaned the widespread phenomenon of giving political coloration to the views of prominent but non-political people in the country. General Overseer of the International Central Gospel Church, Dr Mensah Otabil, has had cause to express similar views in the past. Okyehene Amoatia Ofori Panyin told a forum organised by the Institute of Democratic Governance (IDEG) in Accra that such a trend only destroys a nation that seeks to achieve higher growth and eradicate poverty. �You can�t say anything in this country again without being labeled. In-fact sometimes they tell you to shut up. Mind your business!... One of the things that we have left as chiefs is to make suggestions and to try to persuade policy. I will speak.� Commenting on the education policies and promises being made by various political parties ahead of the December polls, the Okyehene said the realisation of an effective and comprehensive access to quality education cannot be glossed over. He also blamed Ghana�s under development on what he termed reckless management of natural resources. �We have economic and social problems because a large majority of our people cannot read and write. It therefore stands to reason that the surest way to abolish poverty is to abolish illiteracy,� he stressed. He said the benefits of education cannot be measured because education can prevent people from doing evil. According to the Okyehene, what differentiates humans from other creations is �our ability to think and to think creatively. No country has been wealthy just because of what the country has. It has always because of what the country knows.� He said every where in the world, education has been tied to development and that no country can achieve the latter without a strong foundation for the former. �I know that by tomorrow, there will be controversy of Okyehene supports one party or the other� The education of our children and the future of our country is paramount,� he added.