Work to begin on Ada-Atorkor Sea Defence Project, Wednesday, August 25, 2010) pg 25, 2010
Work on the Ada Sea Defence Project aimed at protecting the inhabitants of Ada and Atorkor in the Greater Accra and Volta regions against the destructive tidal waves has begun.
The 67 million-Euro project, which is being undertaken by Dredging International, is expected to be completed in two years.
The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin, announced this at the 73rd grand durbar of the chiefs and people of Ada as part of activities marking the Asafotufiami Festival.
The Asafotufiami festival, which means “firing of musketry”, is celebrated annually in the first week of August to commemorate the struggles and victories of the people of Ada in wars they fought against invaders who tried to take over the Ada lands, the Songhor Lagoon and its fertile salt fields.
The festival started as a remembrance for those who lost their lives in the battles and also as a communal gathering to galvanise the spirit of the people to re-build their towns and villages destroyed during the wars.
Mr Bagbin, who was the special guest speaker for the occasion, said the contractors had taken measurements and collected the needed data, undertaken the preliminary construction of site offices and general construction in addition to the preparation of quarries for the supply of armour rocks, for the project.
He appealed to landowners whose lands would be required to support the project to co-operate with the consultant and the contractors to enable them to expedite action on the project.
He said the government was determined to exploit the investment potential of Ada, especially its salt, agriculture and tourism to help improve the lives of the people of the area.
“The government places a lot of premium on the development of the salt industry in Ghana not just because of its potential for job creation for the youth but also because it is strategic in the oil industry.
With the oil find, Ghana is going to need a lot of salt to enhance oil production,” he stated.
Colour, culture, history and grandeur defined the occasion as thousands of people turned up to witness the occasion which was interspersed with the firing of musketry.
On the theme: “Culture, a platform for unity and development,” the event also witnessed the renewal of allegiance to the paramount chief of the Ada Traditional Area, Nene Abram Kabu Akuaku III, by sub-chiefs of the area.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashittey, who was the special guest of honour,
commended the chief and people of Ada for promoting an environment devoid of chieftaincy disputes.
He said even though Article 270 of the 1992 constitution barred the government from interfering in chieftaincy matters, the government “cannot sit down idle while these disputes destroy our heritage and often result in conflict and sometimes chaos”.
He decried the alarming use of land guards in “the winning of sand, the demarcation of properties and the sale of land by various disputing stools and families to multiple buyers”.
He advised the perpetrators of such acts to put an end to it, saying the Greater Accra Security Council would ensure that the use of land guards in areas where disputes were rife was brought to a halt.
The paramount chief of the Ada Traditional Area, Nene Abram Kabu Akuaku III, appealed to the
government to construct access routes to the Songhor Lagoon to facilitate the conveyance of salt from the lagoon.
He also called for immediate action on the perennial boundary problems between Ada and South Tongu, to ensure that it did not degenerate into armed conflict as was the case in other parts of the country.
Nene Akuaku warned persons involved in the degradation of the Songhor Salt Lagoon through the construction of unauthorised salt ponds to desist from the act because the traditional council would not protect such persons from the law.
“The development of the salt industry is paramount to the progress of Ada.”
Among the personalities who graced the occasion were the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr E.T. Mensah; Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, a special aide to President Mills; the Minister of Education and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ada, Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo; Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, a Minister of State, and the Dangbe East District Chief Executive, Mr Rex Dan Wussah.
Other programmes lined up for the week-long event included a national cycling competition, fun games and a Dragon Boat Racing.
The 67 million-Euro project, which is being undertaken by Dredging International, is expected to be completed in two years.
The Minister of Water Resources, Works and Housing, Mr Alban S.K. Bagbin, announced this at the 73rd grand durbar of the chiefs and people of Ada as part of activities marking the Asafotufiami Festival.
The Asafotufiami festival, which means “firing of musketry”, is celebrated annually in the first week of August to commemorate the struggles and victories of the people of Ada in wars they fought against invaders who tried to take over the Ada lands, the Songhor Lagoon and its fertile salt fields.
The festival started as a remembrance for those who lost their lives in the battles and also as a communal gathering to galvanise the spirit of the people to re-build their towns and villages destroyed during the wars.
Mr Bagbin, who was the special guest speaker for the occasion, said the contractors had taken measurements and collected the needed data, undertaken the preliminary construction of site offices and general construction in addition to the preparation of quarries for the supply of armour rocks, for the project.
He appealed to landowners whose lands would be required to support the project to co-operate with the consultant and the contractors to enable them to expedite action on the project.
He said the government was determined to exploit the investment potential of Ada, especially its salt, agriculture and tourism to help improve the lives of the people of the area.
“The government places a lot of premium on the development of the salt industry in Ghana not just because of its potential for job creation for the youth but also because it is strategic in the oil industry.
With the oil find, Ghana is going to need a lot of salt to enhance oil production,” he stated.
Colour, culture, history and grandeur defined the occasion as thousands of people turned up to witness the occasion which was interspersed with the firing of musketry.
On the theme: “Culture, a platform for unity and development,” the event also witnessed the renewal of allegiance to the paramount chief of the Ada Traditional Area, Nene Abram Kabu Akuaku III, by sub-chiefs of the area.
The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Nii Armah Ashittey, who was the special guest of honour,
commended the chief and people of Ada for promoting an environment devoid of chieftaincy disputes.
He said even though Article 270 of the 1992 constitution barred the government from interfering in chieftaincy matters, the government “cannot sit down idle while these disputes destroy our heritage and often result in conflict and sometimes chaos”.
He decried the alarming use of land guards in “the winning of sand, the demarcation of properties and the sale of land by various disputing stools and families to multiple buyers”.
He advised the perpetrators of such acts to put an end to it, saying the Greater Accra Security Council would ensure that the use of land guards in areas where disputes were rife was brought to a halt.
The paramount chief of the Ada Traditional Area, Nene Abram Kabu Akuaku III, appealed to the
government to construct access routes to the Songhor Lagoon to facilitate the conveyance of salt from the lagoon.
He also called for immediate action on the perennial boundary problems between Ada and South Tongu, to ensure that it did not degenerate into armed conflict as was the case in other parts of the country.
Nene Akuaku warned persons involved in the degradation of the Songhor Salt Lagoon through the construction of unauthorised salt ponds to desist from the act because the traditional council would not protect such persons from the law.
“The development of the salt industry is paramount to the progress of Ada.”
Among the personalities who graced the occasion were the Minister of Employment and Social Welfare, Mr E.T. Mensah; Nii Lantey Vanderpuye, a special aide to President Mills; the Minister of Education and Member of Parliament (MP) for Ada, Mr Alex Tetteh-Enyo; Nii Laryea Afotey Agbo, a Minister of State, and the Dangbe East District Chief Executive, Mr Rex Dan Wussah.
Other programmes lined up for the week-long event included a national cycling competition, fun games and a Dragon Boat Racing.
Seth I would like to commend you on this posting as it has provided me with some insight about developments and the political situation regarding Ada. I will however recomend that next time the fonts/letters should be darker to contrast the beautiful background for easy reading.
ReplyDeleteBest Wishes
Thanx Mr Wusah
ReplyDelete