BOAARDS OF DIRECTORS OF CEDECOM INAUGURATED (PAG 21, NOV 13)

THE Minister of Trade and Industry, Ms Hannah Tetteh, has inaugurated a 15-member Board of Directors for the Central Regional Development Commission (CEDECOM) with a call on members to tap the abundant advantages of the region for its development.
Ms Tetteh said the region had the potential to use its rich cultural heritage to boost tourism so as to create jobs and wealth to reduce the poverty level it found itself in.
Addressing members of the board, she said the fort and castles which had been declared as international heritage sites, offered one of the best advantages to be tapped.
She said as a cradle of education, it also had the potential for human resource training to take advantage of private schools which were springing up, adding that with the oil find in the neighbouring Western Region, it could equip people with skills for the industry.
The minister said CEDECOM, as a catalyst for development, should have the leverage to spearhead the drive to galvanise the needed resources and attract investment to the region.
She stressed the need for foresight and industry on the part of the members, and expressed the hope that they would live up to the task.
The Central Regional Minister, Mrs Ama Benyiwa-Doe, said the Regional Co-ordinating Council had the mandate to provide technical support for the region’s development.
She, however, expressed regret that even though the region was the citadel of education, it had not reflected in the level of development and poverty reduction.
Mrs Benyiwa-Doe urged the members to use the occasion as a springboard for reinvigorating the mission and vision of CEDECOM for the region’s accelerated development.
A member of the board, Nana Sam Brew Butler, on behalf of the members, promised to accept the challenge to ensure that the faith reposed in them was accomplished.
The 15-member board has Mrs Benyiwa-Doe as its chairman, with the other members as Mr Spencer Taylor, the acting Executive Director of CEDECOM, Mr Frank Obeng Dapaah, the Regional Planning Officer, Mr Sintim Barimah, of the Ministry of Trade, Mr Ato Forson, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ajumako-Enyan-Esiam, Dr J.V. Mensah of the University Cape Coast and Madam Veronica Essuman Nelson, the Municipal Chief Executive for Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem.
The rest are Nana Kwamina Ansah IV, the Omanhen of the Eguafo Traditional Area, Mr Gustav Addington, Legal Practitioner, Mr Joe Appeah, Private Consultant, Dr Joseph Teye Nuertey, Clergy, Nana Sam Brew Butler, an Opinion Leader, Dr Mrs Entsua Mensah and Mr Abraham Fokuo, both opinion leaders, and Mr Kwame Oppong, a Co-ordinating Director.