Nii Ayibonte II, the new Gbese Mantse at the weekend urged chiefs in Amasaman and its environs to carry out massive tree planting in the area. He said this initiative would serve as windbreaks to protect building in the event of rainstorms and other natural disasters. The new Gbese Mantse also known in private life as Mr Tommy Okine made the call at Amasaman during this year's Homowo festival celebrated by the chiefs and people. He said his priority, as a chief was the enhancement of education, especially in the rural areas. "We need to organize civic education on the rights and responsibilities of the people, especially women and children," he noted. Apart from equipping women and the youth with skill training for sustainable poverty reduction in the community, Nii Ayibonte said he was also poised to help reduce chieftaincy disputes in the area. He appealed to the youth to desist from drug abuse and adopt the tree planting exercise for agro-business to help enhance unemployment in the area. Nii Ayibontey assured the people that he would use his office to help provide water, health facilities and adopt disaster prevention practices in the area. The Amasaman Chief Nii Amasa Osieku II, commended the Gbese Mantse for his advise and said about 10 hectares of land would be used at Sarpeiman for the first phase of the exercise for the cultivation of various species of trees including teak; mahogany, and cedar. He appealed to the Ga West District Assembly and DANIDA to come to their aid to enable them launch an association that would spearhead the tree-planting exercises in the District. Source: GNA