The paramount chief of Ahafo Hwidiem in the Brong Ahafo Region, Osuodumgya Barima Apea-Dwaah Boafo II has said, his priority is about the development of Hwidiem whereby the youth and the citizens would have access to basic amenities.
According to him, it is the goal of every traditional ruler to focus on what can speed growth which comprises of quality healthcare, portable water, quality education, job opportunities for the youth and good accessible roads.
Osuodumgya Barima Apea-Dwaah Boafo II when speaking to the Ashanti and Brong Ahafo regional correspondent of the New Crusading Guide Newspaper said, he doesn’t support the practices of illegal mining as it has become albatross on our neck destroying our water bodies and our farm yards.
The chief who, according to him, stood up against illegal mining activities sometimes ago when news broke up that some Chinese and their Ghanaian counterparts have invaded into communities under Hwidiem Traditional council in the Brong Ahafo region to mine said, he can’t stop companies with genuine document to do mining in his town since it will give employment opportunities to some citizens in his area.
He further continued that he won’t allow people who don’t have license to mine to invade on his lands simply because the unemployment rate in the country is alarming and for that matter we should allow anybody at all to do whatever he want without passing through the right process to acquire mining permit with conditions.
Though he said, Hwidiem land is rich in terms of minerals but that does not guarantee citizens to take the laws into their own hands to destroy the rich forest and rivers in the area adding that, if our fore-fathers polluted our rivers, cut down trees, polluted the air and other things one can name of, where will be our stands now?
On the issue of his vision for the traditional area especially on sanitation, Nana Apea-Dwaah Boafo II explained that now that Hwidiem has been named a district, he and the district assembly will collaborate to ensure the by-laws that guide sanitation will be enforced and punish law offenders so that it will serve as a deterrent to others to keep the environment clean to avoid been prosecuted.
The paramount chief told this paper that, though he has been enstooled for three years but citizens of Hwidiem can attest to the fact that, issues about sanitation is his major priority towards development.
On education he said, is one component of growth in every country whereby the human resource drive is always taken from there and that the Senior High School in Hwidiem lacks many things including school bus and learning and teaching materials.
He used the opportunity to appeal to the authorities especially the government to come into their aid so that the purpose of the Senior High School establishment can be achieved.