Vice President Aliu Mahama at the weekend appealed to traditional rulers not to see festivals as just merry making but an opportunity to inspire leadership and developmental partnership.

He said they should also use festivals to explore resources that would maintain continuity in efforts to improve livelihood of the people.

Vice President Mahama made the call in a speech read on his behalf at a durbar to climax the celebration of Kurubi festival by the Wangaras at Kintampo.

The three-day festival was on the theme "Creating Enabling Opportunity for Our Future Leaders."

He said the moment for self-discipline and hardworking was now when government was laying the infrastructure for sustainable development and poverty reduction.

Vice President Mahama appealed to the youth to have big dreams, imagine in details what the future would be in every respect and work hard towards such vision.

He appealed to the Wangaras to ensure a symbolic growth of unity and strength through the celebration of the festival. Mr. Abeiku Dickson, Special Assistant to Mr Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, the Minister for Tourism and Diaspora Relations, stressed the importance to revisit some traditional norms in order to instill discipline among the youth.

Nana Fanyinama III, the President of the Council of Wangara Chiefs, said the festival had become an annual domestic tourism affair that attracted the youth to well-known tourist sites in the district. He said there was the need to help unearth the talents of the youth to enable them to develop their vocational and entrepreneur skills to contribute meaningfully to national development.

Mr. Razark Awudulai, Kintampo North District Chief Executive, expressed concern over chieftaincy disputes and land litigation and advised that such problems should be settled amicably. He suggested to the chiefs to institute education endowment funds to support brilliant but needy students in their communities. Yabon-Wura Bawa Doshi, President of Gonja Traditional Council who chaired the function, commended the government for its educational policies.

He cautioned the youth against drug abuse, alcoholism and illicit sexual practices that would ruin their future.

GNA