The District Chief Executive for Agona, Mr Ben Yaw Mensah, has stated that Area Councils and Unit Committees are the bedrock of the country's democratic dispensation. He said the two organisations were democratic vehicles to extend power to the people at the grassroots level and also lead the people in their development programmes. Mr Mensah said these when he inaugurated three Area Councils at separate functions at Agona Asafo, Agona Otsenkorang and Agona Nkum. Mr Timothy Osam Duodu, Presiding Member of the Agona District Assembly swore into offices the 15-member, 16-members and 18-members area council for Otsenkorang, Nkum and Asafo respectively. Mr Kwame Amoah, Agona District Electoral Officer supervised the election of Chairmen and Officers to the three area councils. Mr Mensah stated that the government has placed high premium on the area councils processes to enable the people to take part in the decision-making process. He announced that the Community Based Rural Development has given a grant of ¢150 million each to the three communities to undertake various development projects. The DCE urged the people to initiate development projects before seeking assistance from the assembly, adding that the assembly was prepared to give any help to the people if the need arises. He stressed that the Assembly has selected Agona Asafo as one of the towns to benefit from the school feeding programme, saying the town has also benefited from jubilee school projects. Nana Kwao Ponsi, Adontenehen of Agona Asafo appealed to the District Chief Executive to arrest illegal sand winners who operate in the area since they were destroying the environment. Source: GNA