Let us re-ignite communal labour to push local development - Kobedi Queen-mother

Nana Ameyaa Ansu Gyeabour I, the newly installed queen-mother of Kobedi Number Two, near Chiraa in the Sunyani West Municipality has called on people in local communities to re-ignite the ancient communal labour spirit to facilitate development.

Development, she emphasized, remained a shared and collective responsibility, saying local communities that initiate self-help development projects attracted the support of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and development partners.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on the sidelines of a colourful durbar held at Kobedi to formally outdoor to her, Nana Gyeabour said the government alone could not tackle all the development needs of communities.

Known in private life as Patricia Ansu Ameyaa, Nana Gyeabour I, a 46-year-old businesswoman is also Akyeremadehemaa of the Dormaa Traditional Area and owes allegiance to Osagyefo Oseadeeyo Agyemang Badu II, the Paramount Chief of Dormaa Traditional Area in the Bono Region.

She asked local communities not to over-rely on the central government for development and instead contribute their quota in diverse ways to push development of the communities.

Nana Gyeabour expressed regret about the lack of communal toilets in the Kobedi town, and appealed to NGOs and corporate bodies to come to their aid to help prevent outbreak of communicable and water-borne diseases in the area.

She expressed concern on the sanitation situation in the town, which has worsened since the onset of the rains, saying because the town had no toilets, some residents had no other option than to defecate openly in nearby bushes.

Nana Gyeabour I said the situation was worrying because it could lead to an outbreak of cholera and communicable diseases because school children defecate at open places.

She said she was unhappy that the Kobedi Number Two community had been neglected in terms of development, saying the town was bedevilled with myriads of developmental challenges, including lack of markets, lorry stations and potable drinking water.

Nana Gyeabour I therefore called on the people to rally solidly behind her to facilitate the development of the community.