Mr Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, Brong Ahafo Regional Minister, at the weekend called for a concerted effort by all Ghanaians this year and beyond towards the rapid achievement of national goals. He explained that President Mills' declaration of 2011 being an action year was a clarion call on all citizens to think of contributing more meaningfully for accelerated national development. Mr Nyamekye Marfo was delivering a Christmas and New Year message at a cocktail party organised by the Regional Co-ordinating Council for a cross section of personalities in the region including chiefs and queens, Members of Parliament, District and Municipal Chief Executives and heads of department. He lauded the efforts of religious and traditional authorities as well as other stakeholders in the sustenance of peace in the country and urged them to spearhead the crusade to get rid of corrupt practices. "I implore particularly Nananom (chiefs), religious leaders and parents to help salvage our dear nation from the acrimony, insults and other negative behaviours that have characterized our political life and which cannot help us in any way to move forward," he said. The regional minister noted with regret that the media was being used by political opponents to intimidate and vilify each other and advised the youth especially to guard against falling prey to such acts for the smooth governance of the country. Mr Nyamekye Marfo commended the people for their "gallant" contributions to national development in the past years and expressed the hope that they would continue to support the government to indeed make 2011 a year of action. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Barima Afari Minta, Chief of Chiraa, conceded traditional authorities bore the "onerous responsibility" to ensure peace and tranquility in their communities. He expressed the hope that chiefs and queens would redouble efforts to ensure the people disengaged themselves from attitudes and activities that could not complement government efforts at resuscitating the country's economy for the benefit of all. Barima Minta, also the Benkumhene of Dormaa Traditional Area, exhorted the people to focus on the sustained and accelerated development of the region by playing their expected roles. Source: GNA