Minister calls for diversification of uses of kente

Bonwire (Ash), Feb 12, GNA - Mr Akwasi Osei-Agyei, the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, has appealed to the people of Bonwire to initiate strategies that would help to diversify the uses of the Kente cloth in order to increase its patronage.

He said the Bonwire Kente, which had a unique design, could be used to blend other garments and textiles to make it convenient and attractive to people who are unable to put on the cloth at all times. Mr Osei-Agyei, who is also the Member of Parliament for Ejisu-Juaben, was speaking at a ceremony at Bonwire at which he presented 100 million cedis to the people to design and weave special Kente clothes for Ghanaian diplomats and their spouses during the golden jubilee celebrations.

The people have already designed special Kente clothes for heads of states and governments who will be attending the ceremony on March 6. They are also designing a new Kente cloth to replace the old one at the United Nations that was presented to the world body by the first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

Mr Osei-Agyei said the Kente cloth had gained international recognition due to its unique design and announced that the government was taking steps to register and patent all the Kente designs made in the country to prevent imitation and piracy and also protect the Kente cloth from abuse.

Mr Osei-Agyei also visited the Bonwire Secondary/Technical School to acquaint himself with problems facing the school.