News:
April 20, 2013
The Volta Regional House of Chiefs on Thursday pledged its support for the Regional Minister, Mr. Joseph Nii Laryea Afotey-Agbo and the Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Francis Ganyaglo, respectively.
Togbe Afede XIV, President of the House, at an emergency meeting to welcome the two personalities, in Ho, said President John Mahama’s decision to appoint a citizen of another region as the Volta Regional Minister, was ‘a very important and bold one.’
The chiefs were briefed on actions taken by government following renewed bloodletting between the people of Alavanyo and Nkonya.
Togbe Afede said such appointments that were done in the first republic under the Nkrumah regime were aimed at promoting national unity and cohesion.
Togbe Afede expressed hope that Mr. Afotey-Agbo would work to bring landmark development to the region, just as other non-Volta region citizens, who were appointed to preside over the region as Regional Ministers did.
Mr Afotey-Agbo commended the House for taking a number of initiatives towards the development of the region, and looked forward to their efforts to lobby for developments and investments in the region.
‘We are Regional Ministers but you are in charge. We are young and energetic men ready to serve the people,’ he said.
On the Nkonya-Alavanyo conflict, Mr Afotey-Agbo appealed to the House to help bring peace to the area, and called for prompt action to curb conflicts in the region.
He said: ‘The very day I arrived here as a Regional Minister I have to go straight for a Regional Security Council meeting on the Alavanyo -Nkonya conflict.
‘I will like to plead with our noble House of Chiefs to assist us take a serious view of this state of affair in the region so that solutions could be found as early as possible before things get out of hand’.
Mr Afotey-Agbo commended the Paramount Chiefs of Alavanyo and Nkonya for initiating measures to maintain peace in their traditional areas.
He asked them to co-operate with the Mediation Committee and the security agencies to find a lasting solution to the conflict.
GNA