Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has disclosed that the region remains relatively peaceful since the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has been on high alert and constantly engaging the masses for matters of security concern.
He, therefore, commended the Ghana Armed Forces and other security services in the region, for their professionalism and contributions to ensuring peace in the area.
He was, however, worried that chieftaincy disputes in the area are on the ascendency.
He said his outfit would continue to collaborate with the Regional House of Chiefs, REGSEC and relevant stakeholders to help resolve any matter that threatened security and peaceful co-existence.
The Regional Minister was speaking at the first Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) meeting for the year 2023 in Takoradi.
The programme created the platform for the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and some other public sector institutions or service providers to present their reports on how well they have been faring and delivering government’s programmes and projects during the period under review.
He admonished the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) not to recognise non-gazetted chiefs or honour invitations to programmes they organise, stressing they should only recognise chiefs who had gone through the necessary processes and had the government’s recognition through a gazette.
He revealed that the Western Region has scored 100 per cent in the District Assemblies Performance Assessment Tool (DPAT) for the past three assessment cycles, which has resulted in all MMDAs receiving grants in excess of GH¢1 million to undertake development projects in the region.
On the fight against illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey, the minister urged the MMDCEs to work hard to augment government’s interventions in minimising or putting a stop to the menace.
He revealed that the region’s health front has been calm and usual with the day to day disease conditions and cases of health challenges in all the facilities.
He, however, revealed that 232 measles cases, have been reported throughout the region from January to July 2023, and the Mpohor District recorded three cases.
“The Wassa Amenfi Central and East Districts also had one each of positive cases of Acute Flaccid Paralysis (AFP). Our Health Personnel are on top of their jobs and l believe the few situations will be managed or have already been brought under control,” he added. He told the gathering that he believed that the MMDAs had conducted the necessary mock examinations to prepare the final year Junior High School (JHS) students for this year’s Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).
He also disclosed that the E-Tankas online application software introduced to ensure good sanitation is operational, adding that that within three weeks of rolling out the application, the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly has accrued about GH¢23, 000.00 as revenue.
“As a  region, when we are able to generate our own revenue, we will be more responsive to the needs of our people whilst we wait for the external resources to augment what we do,” he explained.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Takoradi