President Mills vows to develop Sokoban wood village

Kumasi, Nov. 6, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Thursday visited the state-of-the-art Wood Village at Sokoban in Kumasi and vowed to ensure that the needed amenities are in place to facilitate the operation of the carpenters.

"Government is aware of the lack of water, electricity and access roads and would do everything to make sure that these facilities are provided," he said.

The Wood Village was constructed with support from the French International Development Agency fund to resettle wood workers at Anloga in Kumasi and pave way for the construction of the Oforikrom-Asokwa by-pass. It has an administration block, facilities for banking, clinic, police post, washrooms and access roads.

The relocation of the carpenters from Anloga to the Village was embroiled in controversy for more than two years. The carpenters refused to quit arguing that the place was too small for the more than 4,000 wood workers, while basic amenities to support their business were not in place.

Threats of forcible ejection by the Kumasi Metropolitan Assembly and agitations by residents in the metropolis compelled the carpenters to move to the Village.

President Mills thanked the wood workers for their support during the last elections and asked them to exercise restraint as the government was putting in place the necessary interventions to fulfil all the electoral promises it made to the people.

Togbe Mawufeame Fugah, Patron of the wood workers, appealed to the government to help develop the additional site acquired for those who could not get sheds at the current site.

He also called for credit facilities for the workers, improved technology and re-training to make them more efficient. President Mills is in Kumasi for a three-day official visit to Ashanti Region and would call on the Asantehene and tour Ejura-Sekyedumasi, Mampong and Obuasi. 6 Nov. 09