He said the government had rolled out several poverty intervention strategies that would benefit especially the ordinary Ghanaian. Mr Obeng said all these poverty alleviation policies could not be successfully implemented without the support of the citizenry.  The DCE made the statement when he paid a courtesy call on Barima Mintah Afari II, the chief of Chiraa in the District.

Mr Obeng said the free senior high school, one-district-one-dam, and the planting for food and jobs programmes were all aimed at helping to transform the economy.  He said the government required the support of traditional authorities in the implementation of these programmes to benefit the people.

Mr Obeng said as the embodiment of the people, chiefs and queens played essential roles in development, saying through them the immediate needs of the people could be identified and addressed.

Barima Mintah Afari indicated that the Chiraa Senior High School (SHS) needed an administration block, while the local Presbyterian basic school which was affected by a rainstorm required urgent support.

He also advised the DCE to identify and complete stalled projects executed by the previous Assembly.  Barima Afari II, assured that the chiefs and people of Chiraa supported the Assembly and the government in general towards the implementation of development projects.

Nana Yeboaa Pene II, the Queen of Chiraa, called on the DCE to serve in humility and avoid partisan considerations.  She appealed to the Assembly to relocate the Zongo market at Chiraa, which had been taken over by huge trucks and also support the Methodist basic school with infrastructure.