Vice President Aliu Mahama has urged Ghanaians not allow ethnic and religious differences to be a source of conflict but must be a means to unite them.

"We can achieve this unity if we make the effort to understand why God in His wisdom created mankind with diverse cultures that differentiates us from one another and went ahead to put all of us in the same environment" he said.

He said this in a speech read for him by the Deputy Central Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Kweku Obodai, at a durbar of chiefs and the people of Enyan Abaasa to mark their Akwanbo festival.

Vice President Mahama said the government had created the appropriate environment necessary to deepen economic development and consolidation of peace.

He said the country was the most peaceful in the sub-region and expressed the hope that such atmosphere would be maintained to enhance development.

The Vice President appealed to the Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam District Assembly to take over the rehabilitation of primary schools in the area and improve their facilities.

On absorption of the Abaasa Technical Institute into the public education system, the Vice President said the District Director of Education for Ajumako-Enyan-Essiam had been directed to examine the request and advise his office accordingly.

Mr Ato Essuman, a member of Council of State, said the Ghana Education Service had received 30 syllabuses for Early Childhood Development Centres under the new education reform.

He urged chiefs, assembly members, religious and opinion leaders to encourage parents to enrol their children, especially girls, in school when the academic begins.

Nana Ama Kokuma III, Paramount Queen Mother of the area expressed concern about the lukewarm attitude on the part of the some youth towards development programmes.

She said chiefs and elders were disappointed about the way the youth spent money lavishly on drinks and other unnecessary things but failed to pay their voluntary contributions towards development.

Nana Appiah-Kubi IV, Acting President of Enyan Abaasa Traditional Area appealed to the government to help tar the road in the town and help to build a market for the town.

Source: GNA