The Ashanti Regional Minister, Hon. Dr. Frank Amoakohene, on Friday, 5th September 2025, engaged staff of the Bekwai Municipal Assembly as part of his working visit to the municipality. He was accompanied by the Ashanti Regional Chief Director, Mr. Michael Owusu Amoako, and some staff of the Ashanti Regional Coordinating Council.
Also present at the meeting were the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of Bekwai, Hon. Issaka Salifu; the Municipal Coordinating Director, Ms. Sheila Rosetta Arthur; heads of security agencies in Bekwai; and all staff of the Municipal Assembly.
In his remarks, Dr. Amoakohene, who once worked at the Bekwai Hospital, expressed his commitment to ensuring that the municipality receives the needed attention for development. He noted the limited time available for his mandate, stressing the urgency to deliver results.
He indicated that his next visit to Bekwai would be unannounced, during which he intends to inspect public facilities such as washrooms to ensure the Assembly is adequately prepared for its responsibilities.
The Minister announced that 80% of the District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) has been allocated towards key developmental projects including a 24-hour model market, sanitation improvements, and the completion of abandoned projects. He further directed that mother sector ministries should handle areas not covered, including education, roads, and street lighting.
On mining, Dr. Amoakohene reiterated the President’s directive restricting mining in forest reserves, water bodies, and road reserves. He emphasized that a Responsive Cooperative Mining Secretariat would soon be operational to facilitate responsible and regulated mining activities in the region.
During the meeting, the Minister indicated that he would subsequently inspect ongoing projects and commission a renovated school at Kokotro, where he also plans to hand over computer to teachers. He noted that the initiative has been made possible through the support of a philanthropist.
The engagement was also attended briefly by the Member of Parliament (MP) for Bekwai, Hon. Lawyer Ralph Poku-Adusei, who gave short remarks. He commended the Regional Minister’s commitment and pledged his support for ongoing and future initiatives that will enhance the development of the municipality.
The MCE, Hon. Issaka Salifu, on his part, presented the municipality’s development concerns, including a request for a recycling compost plant at Sesekro, completion of staff bungalows that began in 2012, renovation of the Central Destitute Infirmary (CDI), and ongoing GetFund projects at Ankaase. He also called for urgent attention to the Kokotro–Koniyaw road and completion of accommodation facilities for security personnel in the municipality.
Hon. Salifu expressed gratitude to the Regional Minister for the visit, describing it as timely, since it offered the opportunity for the peculiar challenges of Bekwai to be seen firsthand and presented at higher levels for redress.
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