Agona Nyarkrom (C/R), Aug. 28, GNA - Mr Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, the Central Regional Minister, has called on stakeholders to invest in the grooming and education of children to build their capacity to meet the ever changing global challenges.

Mr Ricketts-Hagan made the call at a durbar of chiefs and people of Agona Nyarkrom Traditional Area in the Central Region to climax their Akwambo Festival.

The festival, under the theme: 'Akwambo Festival, Our Heritage - A vehicle for Sustainable Peace, Unity and Development' is aimed at fostering peace and unity in this election year and bring about the needed development.

The chiefs, led by Okofo Okantakyi Nyarko Eku X, Paramount Chief of Agona Nyarkrom, were earlier carried in palanquins through the principal streets of the town amidst drumming to the durbar ground where they were paid homage.

Mr Ricketts-Hagan said the knowledge explosion has brought in its wake a heavy reliance on technology and there was the need for the nation to build the human resource base to take advantage of the technology for development.

He said government was working hard to put in place the needed policies and programmes in areas such as education and health and improve economic activities to create jobs for the youth.

'That notwithstanding, we as people should also fashion out ways and means to put in place measures that will improve our lives especially in areas of sanitation and commerce,' he said

Mr Ricketts-Hagan commended the chiefs and people of the area for the team work in sustaining the festival to fulfill the dreams and aspirations of their forefathers.

'Let us endeavor to set aside all differences, if any, and unite as one people so as to create a peaceful and congenial atmosphere that will ensure the steady growth and development of our society,' he said.

He cautioned the youth and Ghanaians in general to eschew negative tendencies that could disturb the peace and tranquility of the country to ensure a violent-free election.

Mr Charles Obeng-Inkoom, the Member of Parliament for Agona West, said in his three years as MP he had been able to improve school infrastructure, roads and health facilities adding that he would continue to work with Mr Samuel Oppong, the Municipal Chief Executive, to bring total development to the area.

GNA