Participants at a Council of State engagement on developmental concerns in the Western Region have requested the establishment of more tertiary institutions to boost higher education in the three Nzema Districts.

They noted that Holy Child College, the only female training college in the Region, does not promote the training of male students in teaching and suggested that, an additional college should be established to promote the teaching of Nzema.

They also urged the Council to impress on the government to allow the country’s technocrats to be engaged in exploration activities rather than allowing foreign investors to take over the petroleum tasks.

Other pertinent concerns they raised included, the establishment of a refinery to add value to Ghana’s raw gold, a shift from surface mining to underground mining to save the destruction of Ghana’s water bodies and forest cover.

These views were expressed on Friday when the Council of State met Ministries, Departments and Agencies and District Assemblies at the Nzema Manle Complex within the Ellembelle District of the Western Region.

The engagement formed part of planned activities of the Council’s information gathering processes within the 16 Regions of the country to get an informed position when counselling the President on Region-specific needs and aspirations.

Mr John Davies, the Dean of Assembly members in the Region called on the Council to relook the welfare of members and asked that an ex-gratia were paid them from the consolidated fund.

He added that seized excavators must also be given to the assemblies for development works rather than being destroyed.

The DCE for Mpohor, Mr Ignatius Assah Mensah, prayed the Council to task the President to stamp his feet on the election of MMDCEs to promote the security of tenure.

The Regional Sports Director, Mr Joseph Bortey, asked for the speedy repair of the Essipon stadium to promote the sports discipline in the Region.

Nana Afful Kwaw, Chief of Teleko-Bokazu spoke on the need for the government to create more jobs to stem unemployment in the area.

He also prayed for regulated mining of kaolin in the area.

Mr Wilson Arthur, the Dean of the MMDCEs, said the menace of galamsey was rather a livelihood issue and called for the empowerment of the various assemblies to find innovative ways to handle the menace.
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, who gave an update on the Region, noted the advancement in education with the introduction of the free senior high school policy, creation of a petroleum hub in the Jomoro Municipality and a variety of road projects.

He hinted that there was a closer bond with the private sector to grow the Western Region through the Enterprise model and called for the allocation of more funds to help engineer more projects in the One District One Factory arena.

Mr Kwesi Bonzo, the Ellembelle District Chief Executive lauded the decision by the Council to interact with the Region adding, “it is a real privilege to host such men and women of substance in our Region”.

He noted the immense contribution of the Council Members to the development of his District in particular and the Region and urged them to let their good counsel ensure the rapid socio-economic development of the country.