Nana KariKari Appau II, Omanhene of Bekwai Traditional Area has expressed concern about the lack of development at Bekwai, the district capital of the Amansie East. The Omanhene said one couldn't put a finger on any single project in Bekwai, which is also the traditional seat of the entire Amansie district of Ashanti. He has accused the Municipal Chief Executive of the Amansie East Municipal Assembly of stifling the development of the town. He mentioned that the Assembly had stalled the development of proposed Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT) offices at Bekwai for which the Bekwai Traditional Council (BTC) released land three years ago. "Even though the December 31 st nursery school which was located on the site had been relocated long ago to give way to the project, the Assembly would simply not bother", the chief complained to The Chronicle. The chief also complained about the closure of a community library by the District Assembly with the reason that the librarian had vacated his post. The said library was rehabilitated with a funding of $1,000 donated by a group of African Americans but has remained shut all this while, thus rendering the assorted books and computers donated by the African Americans useless. The library, expected to serve the entire Municipality, has remained shut and cannot be commissioned since its rehabilitation three years ago. The Bekwaihene, who is President of the BTC and a stakeholder in the project, is not happy about the delay because it would go the stall planned Municipal Assembly and BTC joint facelift of the Bekwai Township. The BTC, which is the custodian of Bekwai stool lands, has expressed worry about the Assembly's uncooperative attitude and delays in regularizing the site plan for SSNIT to effect implementation of the project. Nana Appau has appealed to the government to ensure that Bekwai gets its fair share of the national cake in terms of development projects and suggested the establishment of a new District Hospital at Bekwai to meet the health needs of the people in the area. The Municipal Assembly is said to have delayed the approval of a site plan for the proposed offices of SSNIT at the district capital for the past three years now. The Advisory Committee of the Assembly has declined to approve the said site plan until SSNIT changes the plan. The Assembly, according to a correspondence to SNNIT, dated February 1, 2007, and signed by Mr. M. M. Owusu Diawuoh, Chief Works Superintendent of the Assembly for the Municipal Chief Executive, would want the area on the site plan to be reduced by 40 feet. The district assembly is claiming ownership of a building on the site and that it cannot be part of SSNIT's site. "The Advisory committee can consider your (SSNIT) application only if you abide by this directive and submit a new site plan", the works superintendent indicated. The directive, according to Bekwai SSNIT branch manager, Mr. Felix Cudjoe Ahiable at Bekwai, has since communicated to management of SSNIT and other stakeholders including the Bekwai Traditional Council (BTC) for consideration and necessary action. Mr. Ahiable told The Chronicle in a telephone interview that SSNIT is in the process of legally acquiring the site. The District Assembly, through Mr. Kwame Gyamfi, Chief Personnel Officer, has also queried the District Officer of the Town and Country Planning department why it had not discussed the proposed development on the site in question where the Assembly’s warehouse is located. Source: Chronicle