Ohemaa Ofosua Aduanwomah Amoakoa Ahuofe I, the Founder of Nananom Global Development Association (NAGLODA), has urged traditional leaders to join in the campaign of developing rural communities into cities.
She said traditional leaders had the authority to help their communities develop by identifying various challenges faced by the people and finding long-term solutions to them.
Ohemaa Ahuofe I was speaking at the launch of the “Promoting Villages to Cities Campaign” project, initiated by her in Aburi in the Eastern Region.
The project, which involves stakeholders in the improvement of the standard of living of people living in rural communities, is expected to last for five years.
The programme drew 44 participants, including 27 traditional leaders from around the country.
She stated that she built a public toilet facility in Ahinase to deter community members from defecating in the woods, adding, “Nananom must adopt a village to develop to push forward the agenda.”
She highlighted some issues challenging communities such as teenage pregnancies, illiteracy, poor road and telecommunication networks, bad leadership and the lack of a maintenance culture.
She also stated that they owned around 80 per cent of the country’s land, which must be used wisely and not sold for their benefit, leaving their people to suffer.
Nana Kwadwo Tanno II, the Chief of Breman Fawomanyo in the Central Region, stated that traditional leaders must embrace moral education to address the physical, emotional, social, and educational requirements of people in their communities.
“We must not only consider formal education in the classroom but teach our people, particularly the youth, good morals… We must nurture [them to have] a good attitude towards work since they find no interest in hard work,” he said.
He noted that some traditional leaders were too casual about community development, saying, “We need to form networks if we want to grow our communities.”
Contributing, Nana Osei Agyekum Kyere Mmorosah (II), the Sanaahene of NAGLODA, said that the association has established a piggery in Asaafa in the Central Region as part of its efforts to promote communities and provide jobs for the jobless.
He also urged NAGLODA officials to amend the constitution to allow other stakeholders who are not traditional leaders but have an interest in building communities to join as members.
