Regional News of Thursday, 2 May 2019

Source: ghananewsagency.org

Afahye planning committee seeks support

A Queenmother being carried during a Fetu Afahye A Queenmother being carried during a Fetu Afahye

The Oguaa Traditional Council is seeking support from individuals and corporate entities to preserve its cultural heritage and project its unique values and norms to attract the desired investment to stimulate economic growth.

Mr Perry Mensah, Chairman of Oguaa Fetu Afahye Planning Committee made the appeal at the official launch this year’s Fetu Afahye.

The celebration geared towards enhancing the cultural heritage of Oguaaman for accelerated development, will be celebrated on the theme: “Restoration of our heritage, a key to tourism and development”.

It has therefore urged all well-meaning citizens both home and abroad, corporate institutions and philanthropists to generously donate towards the successful celebration of the 2019 Festival.

He indicated that this year’s celebrations was geared towards promoting the indigenous cultural heritage of Oguaaman with key focus on raising funds to complete the residence of Osabarima Kwasi Atta, the Omanhen of Oguaa Traditional Council at the ‘Emintsimadze’ palace.

He said it would serve as a point of reference to teach and inculcate in the youth of the area and the country at large, the importance of knowledge impartation through traditional folklore and morals.

Mr Mensah stressed the need for a paradigm shift that would encourage home-grown development and called for greater unity to come together to reclaim the rich heritage that had existed for years.

He said it was the expectation of the people that traditional leaders would mobilise them to bring development to their various communities and that helping to transform the socio-economic conditions of the people should be made a top priority on their agenda.

The Committee Chairman, assured that the Council and the Committee remained committed to coordinating, directing and promoting the knowledge of Oguaa’s cultural heritage as the heartbeat of tourism in the Area.

In that respect, he admonished Ghanaians take a second look at the way they preserved their cultural heritage because it was an important part of the tradition of the country.

Mr Mensah called on all to fully support and guard the rich cultural heritage handed down to them by their forbearers, adding that different races and people the world over found their identity in their culture.

He pledged that the Committee would be more transparent and accountable in its dealings with the people to court their support, co-operation and loyalty.

Mrs Barbara Asher Ayisi, Member of Parliament for Cape Coast North, called on indigenes of Oguaa and organizations in the country to participate and support this year’s Afahye with their resources and ideas.

Mrs Asher Ayisi who is also the Deputy Minister of Works and Housing, said residents of Cape Coast needed to ensure that the city was clean and especially ready for the 2019 Oguaa Fetu Afahye Festival.

“Sanitation must be at its peak before, during and after the Fetu Afahye. Let’s pay attention to the CCMA’s efforts in ensuring a clean environment in Cape Coast....

“We have to stop defecating in the open and avoid throwing rubbish in gutters and on the roads. This is because with a clean environment, visitors and investors will love to come back to our city anytime they are invited here,” she cautioned.

Osabarima Kwesi Atta for his part urged the security agencies in the Region to put adequate measures in place to fight all criminal activities such as robbery, assault, rape and others that was on the rise and was tarnishing the image of the Region.

He urged the general public to cooperate with the Security Agencies particularly the police in its efforts to combat crime, adding that individuals and families must also be on the alert about the people they came across in their day to day activities.