Mr. Kwadwo Nyamekye Marfo, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, has advised the youth to focus on their education so they could occupy responsible leadership positions in future.
He gave the advice in separate meetings with students of second cycle schools during his tour of Asutifi, Asunafo South districts and Asunafo
Municipality.
The regional minister inspected both completed and on-going development projects in the schools, health centres, the communities and also addressed the chiefs and people.
Mr. Nyamekye Marfo asked the youth to eschew habits and activities that could jeopardize their education and to aspire to climb high on the academic ladder so they could in future contribute to national development.
He commended authorities of the schools for their efforts to provide the quality education needed to accelerate the nation's progress.
Mr. Nyamekye Marfo cited the many interventions by the government to uplift the standard of education in the country and gave assurance that the government would not relent in efforts in pursuing the goals of the better
Ghana agenda.
Authorities of the schools he visited presented similar problems as lack of basic infrastructure including inadequate classrooms and dormitories to meet the increasing student intake, as well as means of transport, water
and electricity.
At Ahafoman Senior High Technical School in Goaso, Mr. Yaw Adu Gyamfi, the Headmaster, said the PTA of the school had started the construction of a block of seven classrooms and needed assistance to complete it.
At Goaso Dr Kofi Asamani-Mensah, the Municipal Medical Director of the Government Hospital, said the municipal assembly was assisting in the establishment of a midwifery school.
Addressing the staff at the hospital Mr. Nyamekye Marfo urged them to be committed to the sustenance and expansion of the national health
insurance scheme.
When the regional minister called on Nana Kwasi Bosomprah 1, Omanhene of Goaso, the chief expressed concern about a yet-to-be fulfilled promise by the government to rehabilitate two kilometres of roads in Goaso this year.
"We serve the government of the day so that action on our requests sould be expedited", he said.
At Ayomso, Nana Oyeeman Appiah Kubi 11, divisional chief of Ayomso, appealed for the extension of the cocoa mass spraying exercise to cover more cocoa farms in the area.
He complained about the poor state of roads in the cocoa-growing community and called for their immediate rehabilitation to facilitate the movement of cocoa and other farm produce to marketing centres.
The chief has provided an ICT centre in the town and the regional minister commended him for his dynamism.
Mr. Nyamekye Marfo appealed to other chiefs and their people to support their district assemblies to complete more development projects in their areas.
Touching on the forestation programme, the regional minister appealed to chiefs to release more land to help reduce unemployment among the youth.
Agyewodin Adu Gyamfi Ampem 111, Omanhene of Acherensua, acknowledged the government's recognition of the support and contributions of traditional authorities to national development.
He called for the completion of development projects in the area including the extension of an electrification project in view of the increasing population.
The Omanhene said an old bridge over River Tano was a death trap as it had claimed about 10 lives in accidents in recent times and called for
the immediate construction of a bailey bridge.
At Kenyase No 1, Nana Osei Kofi Abiri, Omanhene of the traditional area, pledged the loyalty and support of the chiefs and people to the government to accelerate development in the area.
"Ghana is blessed with peace and tranquillity and all citizens must forget about their political differences and unite so we can together achieve the national objectives", he said.