The Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr John Alexander Ackon has fiercely parried off sponsorship overtures on government by some groups who claim to be peace ambassadors.
According to the Minister, government was fully focused on using the scarce resources in the State kitty to developing the country and had no time doling out monies to groups whose identities were difficult to establish as being genuine.
Addressing a full house of media practitioners in Kumasi in his first formal engagement, Mr Ackon bemoaned this attitude by these numerous groups which he noted were springing up virtually every day.
He claimed some citizens only want to cash in on government during election years and were thereby deploying such strategy.
He stressed that if these groups were truly committed to getting their peace messages across, they could equally do so by looking to the private sector and other Non-Governmental Organizations, (NGO) for funding.
CHARGE:
According to the Minister, the best place to seek sponsorship for such ventures were the private and hospitality sectors of the economy, adding government was daily committing itself to ensuring a peaceful atmosphere for the commencement of business.
Mr Ackon noted government’s effort in retooling state agencies including the security services to ensuring peace and the protection of life and property all year round.
These peace efforts by government, he disclosed was being a drain on the scarce resource of the country since the upkeep of the Police and the Military was an expensive but needful expenditure.
FLASH-POINTS:
He noted government was still expending huge monies to keep the military and the Police patrols at the Agogo community where residents are battling nomadic herdsmen popularly called ‘Fulanis’ from taking over their arable lands for the grazing of cattle.
Other areas such as Tafo and lately Ahenema Kokoben where there were riots and robbery respectively, the Minister noted such areas deserved attention of the Police and Military and added government was fully involved to finding a peaceful solution to these cases.
These monies, the Minister believed could have been used for other useful ventures if peace was found at the Asante-Akyem area.
He, however, mentioned government as well as the Regional Security Council’s,(REGSEC) labored efforts to ensuring they find lands exclusively reserved for cattle grazing.
He revealed attempts to provide fencing for such a site so as to allow local residents to commence their daily business without the thought of confronting Fulani herdsmen on their settlements or lands.
DEPUTY MINISTER:
Mr Andy Osei Okrah, Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister on his part promised the media of information regarding the activities of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council,(ARCC).
According to him, the media were not concentrated in the churning out of falsehood or bad news but were adequately prepared to trumpet good news when they were provided with same.
He commended the Ashanti media for consistently putting out accurately information regarding many issues on governance but rallied them to take advantage of the open door policy of the administration to ensure effective reportage.
