Torgbi Ahadzi was speaking at a colourful durbar to climax activities that marked a weeklong celebration of Bedikope ‘Dunenyo Za’ (festival) and the 25th anniversary of his coronation as Chief of Bedikope in the Ketu North Municipality of the Volta region.

According to the traditional ruler, who is a retired Police officer and a former Volta Regional Police Commander, he had long observed that it took an educated population for any community or nation to thrive and so matters of education were paramount under the two and a half decades of his reign.

He said he ensured that school children at Bedikope and surrounding communities got the best in terms of academic work and so he had over the years provided textbooks, exercise books and other teaching and learning materials to schools in the area to boost teaching and learning outcomes.

He said he had also, in consultation with his council of elders, acquired some plots of land for the construction of a community centre, which was already under construction.

Torgbi Ahadzi said the community centre when completed would also house a fully furnished computer laboratory and a stocked library in a bid to inculcate the habit of reading in the school children and enable them to acquire basic skills in ICT in the fast-growing world of technology.

The traditional ruler said since he assumed the throne as the chief of the area, he had identified the poor economic conditions of the women folks and had instituted a scheme to provide small and soft loans to the women to enable them to engage in various trades and farming to improve their economic status, announcing that the scheme was yielding positive results.

He said issues of potable drinking water and electricity also took a toll on the people at the time he became chief of the area, but all that had become a thing of the past, as through his efforts and the intervention of some well-meaning individuals the community had been provided with three mechanized boreholes and electricity had also been extended to Bedikope and surrounding communities.

Torgbi Ahadzi decried Chieftaincy disputes, saying it was the major cause of poor development in many traditional areas and communities.

He called for unity among the citizens of Bedikope and surrounding communities and asked for cooperation from “all and sundry to enable us realise our dreams of a better and prosperous Bedikope.”

Dr. James Klutse Avedzi, Member of Parliament for Ketu North, who was the guest of honour at the event, commended the traditional ruler for his dedication to the welfare of his people over the years.

“It is not easy to combine official duties, especially as a senior police officer with duties of traditional leadership – Torgbui deserves praise for being able to do this all these years,” he said.

Dr. Avedzi said government alone could not provide all of the needs of society and therefore individuals and community efforts such as being engaged in by Torgbui Bedie Ahadzi and his people should be emulated by other communities.

He promised to support the community centre project with GHC25,000 from his share of the MP’s common fund and called on all citizens of the area, who are well placed to support the traditional ruler in his desire to better the lot of the people of the area.

The celebration, which brought together indigenes of Bedikope from far and near, was also attended by dignitaries like Mr Dan Abodakpi, a former Minister of Trade and Industry, Mr Henry Ametefee, a former deputy Volta Regional Minister, Mr Ketaman Evortepe, CEO of Fafaa FM and executive director of Duamenefa Foundation.

It was chaired by Torgbui Agbesi Awusu II Awadada (warlord) of the Anlo state and was on the theme: “Traditional leadership-a tool for peace and development ”