Barima Kwame Nkyi XII, Omanhene of Assin Apimanim traditional area, on Saturday called on the Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Environment to come out with pragmatic programmes that would create the avenue for traditional rulers to actively take part in the activities of district assemblies. He said the current procedure where only one chief represented all the chiefs at the district assembly was not good enough for chiefs to effectively participate in the decision-making process and development of the various district assemblies. Barima Nkyi, who made the call at a durbar of chiefs and people to climax the Ghana @ 50 Assin Apimanim Tutu festivals at Assin Mason said chiefs were the custodians of the land and should be given the necessary recognition, when it came to decision-making and implementation of government policies and programmes. The festival celebrated under the theme: “The young state that vies with the old” was used to honour, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, former Minister of Tourism and Diasporan Relations and one of the presidential aspirants of the New Patriotic Party(NPP). It was also to recognise Ms Naana Nyarkua Ocran, Director of Education, Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB), Nana Afrifa Kyerempeh XII, Adontenhene of Assin Apimanim and Nana Adarkwa, Akwamuheme of Assin-Achaiase for their leadership qualities, development of the slave routes and heritage sites as well as the total development of the Apimanim traditional area. He said it was important for politicians and the government to constantly liaise with traditional rulers in the implementation of major government programmes and projects to enhance the development of the rural areas Ms. Ocran was presented with a stool, sword and citation, whiles the other three were each made “Adehye” and received a citation each. Barima Nkyi expressed concern about the increasing cases of teenage pregnancy and drug abuse among the youth in the area and called on parents to take up their parental responsibility more seriously to help curb these situations. He also warned the youth against leading promiscuous livestyles to prevent them from acquiring the deadly HIV/AIDs. The Omanhene was also expressed concern about the number of tuberculosis cases in the area and called on the people to be careful with their lives and urged those who are suffering from the disease to visit the nearest health centre for free treatment. Ms. Millicent Alice Kuranchie District Chief Executive of Assin South underscored the importance of festivals in the socio-economic development of the country and commended the chiefs and people of Assin Manso for reviving the Tutu festival. She called on them not to use the festival for merry making alone, but to take stock of their activities and come out with programmes that would develop the area and help resolve the number of chieftaincy and land disputes in the area. Ms Kuranchie also commended the chiefs for recognizing and appreciating the efforts of the four people who were honoured and called on other citizens of the area to emulate them and also contribute towards the development of the Assinman. On the development of the area, the DCE said one problem confronting the whole of Assin area was the irregular supply of potable water, adding that there was no pipe-borne water system in the area and that people continue to rely on streams, rivers and hand dug wells and bore holes for water. She however, hinted that, very soon, the situation would be an issue of the past, since the IDA small-town water system has completed feasibility studies and community mobilization in the area and that the contractor would soon move to site. Nana Dr. Ohemeng Awere II, Benkumhene of Apimanim, thanked Barima Nkyi for reviving the Tutu festival which was last celebrated in 2002, and gave the assurance that chiefs in the area would continue to support in the development of the area. Source: GNA