The Paramount Chief of Avatime Traditional Area, Osie Adzatekpor VII, has advised against apathy, which he noted, is gradually eating into the Ghanaian social setting. Osie Adzatekpor observed, apathy towards the society is one of the many reasons for the falling standard of education in the country. He has therefore charged his subjects to develop interest in the well being of the society and join hands to fight issues inimical to the progress of the Avatime area, particularly the falling standard in education to reduce the dropout rate. Addressing a grand durbar of chiefs, elders and people of the Avatime Traditional area to climax the celebration of their annual rice festival dubbed “Amufest 2011” at Amedzofe on Saturday, Osie Adzatekpor VII also lamented over the inability of the people in the area to receive signals from the state broadcaster, the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), particularly GTV, even though a huge mast had been erected right on the Amedzofe Mountains. Osie Adzatekpor was baffled at how the people of Avatime and Amedzofe where the mast is erected, cannot receive signals from GBC. The Paramount Chief who could not hide his fury at the development, on Saturday described the GBC mast at Amedzofe as “a white elephant”, when he delivered his welcome address. “We in the this part of the Volta region and many parts in the Volta region, though we have such an infrastructure, are unable to access these pictures, news and any other thing that can facilitate communication between our communities and government,” Osie Adzatekpor lamented. The Paramount Chief noted that people needed to know how the nation is being governed and be updated with developmental issues, and therefore demanded from GBC and the Information Ministry, an immediate solution to whatever challenge there exists, to ensure that his people can watch GTV clear and uninterrupted. “I would like to appeal to the Municipal Chief Executive, I would like to appeal to the Minister of Communications and I would like to appeal to all the network operators in Ghana that, we the people of Avatime deserve a better deal,” the Osie stressed. Deputy Tourism Minister James Agyenim Boateng in his address re-emphasised government resolve to deal with persons who may plan to cause confusion and chaos before, during and after the 2012 presidential and parliamentary elections. He assured that the Mills-led administration will ensure that elections 2012 will be peaceful and fair. The Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr. Alexander Asum-Ahinsan on behalf of President Mills, presented a cash donation of GHC2,000 in support of a proposed water project for the Amedzofe community. This year’s Amufest was under the theme: “Socio Eco-tourism expose for development through rice cultivation”.