Settle On New Name for Bono Area Region - Chiefs Told

By Jonathan Donkor

The Commission of Enquiry on the creation of new regions has directed the chiefs and people of the Bono area, to as soon as possible, settle on a name for the region they want created out of the Brong-Ahafo Region.

This was after the president of the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs and Paramount Chief of Yeji, Nana Pemapem Yaw Kabrese V, asked for two weeks to enable them exhaust consultation on the name.

At the ongoing final public hearing on new regions where the chiefs and people took their turn, Nana Kabrese V disclosed that "Guan-Bono" was being considered instead of the "Bono-East" that had earlier been put out.

He explained that it was to ensure that the name was all encompassing.

Albeit the chairman for the Commission, Justice Stephen Allan Brobbery, a retired Supreme Court judge, who did not oppose the name change, however said the two-weeks was too long as the Commission was to end its work by the end of this month.

The Commission has, since last Thursday, been hearing submissions from petitioners and the public on the creation of the new regions as it rounds up its work which began last year.

Prof. Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi, a former Minister of Education, and spokesperson of the Bono petitioners, earlier in a power point presentation with bar charts and graphs, underscored the need for the "regional autonomy."

Although he acknowledged that the area had seen some development over the years, it had been slow unlike the other side of the region which had had twice or more schools, health and other facilities and more motorable roads.

He said out of 33 regional ministers appointed since 1959, only two were from the area and that if the area got its own regional minister, the person would be more sensitive to the plight of the enclave.

Prof. Ameyaw-Akumfi cited the creation of the new region as one of the catalysts needed to resolve 53 chieftaincy disputes pending in the 49 traditional councils in the region.

He explained that with the creation of the new region which would have 16 traditional councils and a separate house of chiefs, cases would be resolved expeditiously.

"Chiefs are custodians of culture and tradition of the people and agents of development. This (new region) will create an enabling environment for development with the active involvement of chiefs." he said.

Other indigenes of Bono, during the open forum, painted a gloomy picture of how the lack of Police presence in the area had made the area crime prone while poor roads was affecting trading and farming to buttress the need for their request to be granted.

The public hearing ends tomorrow, Tuesday April 10 after which the Commission would submit its report to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and if approved, a referendum would be held.

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