The newly created Kumawu Afram Plains District Assembly of Ashanti, with its district capital at Kumawu, is collaborating with the Millennium Challenge Authority (MCA) to enable it to develop the area’s road networks.
    
The district carved from the Sekyere East District is endowed in arable lands and if the area becomes accessible, the district would become one of the major food baskets of the country.
    
Speaking at its first ordinary meeting at Kumawu, the Ashanti Regional Minister and Member of Parliament for Kwabre West, Mr Emmanuel Asamoah Owusu-Ansah, noted that due to the poor road network, the district loses a lot of revenues to Kwahu North, Sekyere West, Ejura Sekyedumase and Atebubu districts.
    
Mr Owusu-Ansah, who is also the acting District Chief Executive (DCE) of the district said this, in a speech read on his behalf by Mr Osei Assibey Antwi, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Minister.
    
He said measures had been taken to help mobilise revenue collection, which include the purchase of motorbikes for the collectors, creation of satellite market at Fumsa and the development of the feeder road network in the area as well as the revaluation of commercial properties.
    
He noted that, the people in the district were predominantly farmers and therefore charged the District Director of Agriculture to come out with a programme of action that could help them to diversify their production from food crops to other viable agricultural ventures like fish pond development, snail, grass cutter and mushroom cultivation.
    
Mr Owusu-Ansah said as a new district, the future depended on them as assembly members, stressing that, it was incumbent on them to set their priorities right and develop appropriate strategies to implement them to help the people.
    
He urged them to unite as one family with the same vision and goals, to accelerate the socio-economic development of the area.
    
“To do this effectively calls for the creation of an enabling environment and the development of strategic planning approach, consisting of series of  activities, leading to the attainment of long-term objectives”, he said.
    
The Acting Chief Executive urged the members not to meddle themselves in chieftaincy matters but rather forge a healthy partnership with the traditional authorities, non-governmental organizations, and other civil society organizations to help develop the district
    
Member of Parliament for Kumawu, Mr Yaw Baah, urged the members to have the zeal and commitment to support the development of the district.
    
He appealed to the assembly members to eschew back-biting and rumour-mongering at all levels to accelerate and improve the welfare of the people.

GNA