By Emelia B. Addae
Somanya (E/R) Dec. 30, GNA – The Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly has organised the first-ever Yilo State Homecoming Summit, on the topic “Yilo beyond politics: harnessing our development potentials,” with the goal of facilitating development in the area.
Chiefs, Queen mothers, and elders from the area, as well as well-known sons and daughters of Yilo land and numerous individuals, attended the maiden summit in the Multi-purpose Hall of the University of Environment and Sustainable Development (UESD) in Somanya.
Several cultural performances were featured, including Klama dance and a documentary show on tourist attractions in Yilo Krobo, as well as a talk shop on harnessing untapped tourism, cultural, and agricultural potentials in the geographical enclave.
Beaded necklaces, beaded bangles, beaded key holders, beaded earrings, African wears, and mango products were also on show.
Mr Eric Tetteh, Yilo Krobo Municipal Chief Executive, noted that the summit’s topic was chosen with the notion that people of the land, regardless of party affiliation, must work together to improve Yilo state.
The Krobo mountains, waterfall, limestone, arable land for agriculture, professionals, craft, and associated trade employees, UESD, Somanya Meridian Hospital, and JVL-YKMA Recycling Plant are all located within the municipal territory.
Mr Tetteh described the Yilo state as a gateway to various tourist destinations but noted that the area’s wealth had not been matched by any pace of social and economic growth.
He appealed to investors to channel their resources to the area saying, “Any establishment to be created by an investor would be named after the fellow or organisation which brought such project.”
“It is my heart desire that this summit in its unique way will accelerate the wheel of progress towards the attainment of goals of the nation at large and in particular the goals of the Yilo Krobo Municipal Assembly.”
He said the assembly would create an enabling environment for the development of all sectors of the local economy to ensure a better standard of living of the people.
In his keynote address, Professor Joseph Kofi Teye, Director of Research and Innovation at the University of Ghana, Legon, stated that socioeconomic growth in Yilo state cannot be achieved until the role of partisan politics is minimised.
He proposed that ruling elites be encouraged to treat businesses associated with previous regimes properly, and that recruitment procedures in the Local Government Ministry be based on merit rather than party affiliations.
The assembly should also guarantee that true competitive bidding processes are used to award contracts, and opposition parties should be encouraged to critique constructively while giving credit when credit is due.
“We need to identify and lobby investors to invest in sectors such as tourism facilities and rural industrialization in the agriculture sector,” he added.
Mr. Seth Kwame Acheampong, Eastern Regional Minister, noted that investors were more interested in pursuing peace in communities where stability existed.
To persuade investors to develop companies in Yilo state, he urged chiefs and political party members to eschew individualism and embrace cooperation.
Mr. Stephen Djaba, Vice President of the Licensed Surveyors Association and founder of the Stephen Djaba Foundation, expressed delight that the Yilo state homecoming summit had brought together natives from all over the state, regardless of their differences or political ties, to work on the area’s development.
Mr Seth Terkper, former Finance Minister, Mr. Albert Tetteh Nyakotey, Member of Parliament for Yilo Krobo constituency, Dr. Daniel Mackorley, Chief Executive Officer of McDan Group of Companies, and Lawyer Kofi Amoatey, former Member of Parliament for Yilo Krobo constituency, were present at the event.
GNA