Be patient, Mills tells Zongo community

President John Evans Atta Mills President Mills wraps up his tour of the Western and Brong Ahafo regions Friday and has called on the Zongo community to exercise patience as government tries to deliver on its mandate. Earlier Thursday, President Mills visited the Zongo chiefs in Sunyani to thank them for voting for the National Democratic Congress (NDC). He urged them to hope for better days ahead. This is particularly significant especially as pressure mounts on government - from these communities - to fulfil its election promises. The president is expected to address a durbar of the chiefs and people of Dormaa Ahenkro in Brong Ahafo and reports say people in the town are upbeat about a major policy statement. In a telephone report filed by Joy FM’s presidential correspondent, Stephen Anti, the situation in the area is so because residents there say the NDC made numerous promises to them during the run up to the 2008 elections - which are yet to materialize. Local journalists in the area say farmers expect president Mills to address issues of access to poultry feed and marketing opportunities for the people who are predominantly farmers. Tain is expected to be the last stop of President Mills'tour. A tough dispute over land ownership is said to be raging there as members of the Teteli royal family of Banda are said to be threatening to disrupt the president’s visit if they are not invited to partake in the ceremony to welcome the president. The family said they are already peeved over the ruling government’s failure to recongnise them in negotiations towards relocating the people in the area to make way for the construction of the Bui hydroelectric dam. They allege while the previous Kufuor government engaged them (Teteli family) in resettlement discussions, the current government has completely ignored them. Although full details of President Mills’ itinerary for Friday has not been disclosed reports say expectations are that the president would present a uniting speech. Story by Fiifi Koomson/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana