The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, has appealed to technocrats and other well-educated people to offer themselves for election to district assemblies.
She expressed regret about how some learned people such as lawyers, doctors and engineers shunned district assemblies, regarding them as inferior to their status.
"The same importance attached to parliamentary elections must be given to the district level elections because that is the base for the development of the nation," the Regional Minister stressed.
She made the appeal at a durbar to climax the annual Okyir Festival of the people of Anomabo, in the Mfantseman Municipality.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe pointed out that the decentralization policy the nation had embarked upon was not moving the way it should because we did not get the right people into the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to champion the development agenda of the communities.
She appealed to chiefs and queens to get involved in the selection of people to contest the elections.
The Electoral Commission has slated the District Assembly Elections for Tuesday, December 28, 2010.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe called on Ghanaians to re-examine the extended family system and see how it could be enhanced to play a role in national development.
"We must not discard the extended family system in favour of the nucleus system of father, mother and children," she said.
Mr Alex Asum-Ahinsah, Minister for Chieftaincy Affairs, admonished the youth, especially students, to stay away from the use of drugs.
The Minister debunked the assertion of some people that drugs enhanced learning and pointed out that drugs did not end well the life of people who indulged in them.
Mr Asum-Ahinsah cautioned rich people to desist from using their wealth to fan chieftaincy troubles.
"Do not go near the stool or the skin if you know that you are not from the royal family," he advised.
Mr Henry Kweku Hayfron, Municipal Chief Executive, announced plans by the University of Cape Coast to establish a Fisheries College at Anomabo to promote the fishing industry which is declining and appealed to chiefs of the area to help to make the project a reality.
Mr Aquinas Tawiah Quansah, Member of Parliament for Mfantseman West, urged parents to take good care of their children as their status today could determine their future.
"Give them good education to make them useful citizens in future," he said.
Kantamanto Amonu XI, Omanhen of the area, speaking on the theme for the occasion: "Enhancing the Talents of the Youth for their Future Empowerment", appealed to the government to set up more technical and vocational institutions to give the youth employable skills.
Nana Egyir Aggrey, Mpontuhen, called on parents to identify the talents of their children early and help to develop them. "If the child's talent is in playing football, encourage him by providing him with balls and boots to develop the talent," he stressed.
Nana Aggrey appealed to parents to desist from punishing children who use their leisure to play football.
Mr Christopher Gardner, a 54-year-old African-American businessman, who was invited into the country by Amicus Onlus, an Italian non-governmental organization, (NGO) which is working in Ghana and to participate in a youth forum, was enstooled a divisional chief of Anomabo.
A citation accompanying the enstoolment read by Mr K.K. Essuman, a assembly member, said Gardner hailed from Anomabo, therefore, they wanted to use the enstoolment to bring the African-American back to his ancestry.
Mr Gardner expressed gratitude for the honour done him and pledged to put up a traditional council hall for the people.