The Nyimfahene (Sub-chief) of Nkusukum Traditional Area, Nana Baah VII has called on the government to subsidise the cost of building materials, to make it easy for a large number of Ghanaians to acquire their own accommodation facilities.
Nana Baah, who is also the Chief of Saltpond Lower town (Nankesedo), made the call in an address to mark the annual Ayereye festival of the area.
The festival is celebrated in commemoration of the heroic deeds of their ancestors who led them in their migration from Takyiman in the Brong Ahafo Region to their present settlement.
He appealed to the government to release unutilised plots of land acquired from the area to their owners in order to solve the acute land problem facing the community.
The chief commended the Management of the Saltpond Offshore Oil Company for deciding to sink two wells at a cost of 50 million dollars to increase production from the current 600 barrels a day to 2000 barrels.
Nana Baah expressed the hope that the increase in production would yield Salpond some royalties.
He also praised the company for instituting a scholarship scheme for children from Salpond, Ankaful and Abandze to further their education in senior high schools.
He admonished parents to encourage their children to learn hard to enable them to benefit from the scholarship schemes.
Nana Baah expressed the appreciation of fishermen in the area to the government for the able manner the premix fuel shortage was handled, and gave the assurance that measures would be taken by the chiefs along the coast to curb smuggling of the fuel.
He called for the reactivation of the defunct Saltpond ceramics to create jobs for the youth.
The chief called on the government to tar Saltpond town roads to reduce the excessive dust, which causes respiratory infections.