Eastern Regional Minister, Hon. Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, has directed all Municipal and District Assemblies in the region for stricter enforcement of development and land use regulations, warning that recent flooding incidents across parts of Ghana underscore the urgent need for responsible leadership and collective action.
Delivering the keynote address at the National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving held in Koforidua on Wednesday July 1, 2026, under the theme “Resetting Our Values to Build the Ghana We Want.” the Minister said the recurring floods and related disasters should serve as a wake-up call for leadership and citizens to prioritise preventive action.
According to her, deliberate action is needed to prevent future disasters through proper planning and enforcement.
She called on Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to fully exercise their mandates as development authorities and ensure strict compliance with land use regulations.
“I want to take this opportunity to direct District Assemblies to uphold their mandate as development authorities. Our work should protect lives and property. Our laws on land use must be enforced without compromise. A stitch in time saves nine. It is better for all of us to take prompt action to fix a small problem now to prevent it from becoming a bigger issue later” the Regional Minister forcefully stated.
She noted that rebuilding Ghana goes beyond economic recovery and infrastructure development and must include resetting national attitudes, expectations and accountability.
The Minister stressed that integrity, patriotism and responsible citizenship remain critical to achieving sustainable development and reducing preventable disasters.
She further encouraged religious leaders, traditional authorities, young people and the business community to champion discipline, honesty and respect for the law as part of national renewal efforts.
Hon. Adjei Awatey also highlighted ongoing government interventions in the Eastern Region, including the reconstruction of Zongo roads in Koforidua, plans to resume work on the stalled 600-bed capacity Regional Hospital and the construction of a 24-Hour Economy Market at Agartha Market and across districts.
She ended by calling on Ghanaians to unite in rebuilding the nation and ensuring that communities become safer and more resilient against future calamities.
The Koforidua Area Head of The Church of Pentecost, Apostle Mike Kwame Etrue, who was speaker for the day, called on Ghanaians to embrace integrity as a national value capable of restoring trust, strengthening institutions and rebuilding the country.
Delivering a sermon, Apostle Etrue said Ghana’s progress would not be determined solely by economic resources or political systems but by the values citizens choose to uphold.
Drawing lessons from the biblical account of Nehemiah, he stressed that national transformation begins when citizens accept responsibility for the state of the nation and commit to becoming part of the solution.
According to him, one of the most urgent values that requires resetting in Ghana is integrity, which he described as the willingness to do what is right even when no one is watching.
He observed that despite progress made in several sectors, the country continues to grapple with corruption, indiscipline, unemployment, moral decline, pollution of water bodies, abuse of public office and weakening family values.
“Strong institutions are built upon trustworthy people. Effective governance depends upon ethical leadership. Sustainable development requires responsible citizenship,” he stated.
Apostle Etrue noted that the nation’s challenges should not only be blamed on political leaders or public officials but should prompt self-examination among citizens.
He argued that corruption thrives not only through those who receive bribes but also through those who offer them, adding that dishonesty in schools, disregard for laws and weak personal values all contribute to national decline.
Touching on leadership, he urged leaders across politics, religion, traditional authority, education and business to lead by example, stressing that young people learn more from conduct than words.
“Our young people are watching us. If leaders demonstrate honesty, integrity, humility and patriotism, the next generation will be encouraged to embrace the same values,” he said.
Apostle Etrue further proposed that Ghana’s National Day of Prayer and Thanksgiving should be expanded into a National Day of Prayer, Fasting and Thanksgiving, arguing that national renewal requires humility, repentance and dependence on God.
In attendance were Muslim leadership, clergy, heads of department, students and various groups and organization.
Source: Starrfm.com.gh
