He said the chief, who reigned for 74 years and lived to the grand age of 95, helped in the construction of the Kpong Hydro Electric Power project when he gave out 34,000 acres of land for the construction of the power project.

President Akufo-Addo was speaking when the chiefs and the elders of Fodzoku called on him to announce preparations for the final funeral rites for the chief and also invite him to attend.

Togbuiga Asare reigned from 1945 and passed on in 2019.

The traditional council has earmarked April 4 to 9, this year for burial arrangements and a funeral.

President Akufo-Addo said the singular act of releasing the land was an important milestone in the history of the country that required that the late chief’s life be celebrated and his passing commemorated.

Interventions

The President expressed delight at the testimony of the chiefs about the significant number of people from the area who they said had been enrolled in basic schools due to the expansion of the school feeding programme, as well as those benefitting from the free senior high school policy.

“Our country can only be the winner as more young people are having the benefit of senior school education and can proceed to technical institutions and universities to contribute to the country’s development. I am very happy that you appreciate it and find our interventions very useful,” he added.

The President, however, remarked: “But I don’t get the benefit; always one way, and the people you give your thing to do not help you,” amidst laughter from both government officials present and the chiefs.

“I come to your area for short periods to solve some of the problems for you, but I don’t get the benefit. Let me appeal to you — in future, have a look at the elephant and see how you can ride on its back,” he added.

Commendation

The Spokesperson for the chiefs, Dr Joshua Tsatror-Mordy, commended President Akufo-Addo for the various programmes the government had undertaken to bring development to the area, including the sod-cutting in July 2018 for the rehabilitation of the $34-million Kpong Left Bank project which had expanded agricultural activities in the area.

He said the programme had whipped up youth engagement in agriculture, leading to a boost in the production of crops such as rice, maize and oil palm, adding: “As a community, we are very grateful for that project.”

He further said a railway expansion project which ran through the community would open up the area for development.

He extolled the virtues of the late chief and said Togbuiga Afum Asare was able to rally the community in unity and prevented the escalation of tension when the people were relocated to their current area to make way for the construction of the Kpong Dam.