No pouring of libation at Asafotufiami Festival

Big-Ada, Aug. 15, GNA

This year's annual celebration of 'Asafotufiami' Festival of the chiefs and people of Ada traditional area proceeded without the normal pouring of libation.

This followed a scuffle between two fetish priests over who had the right to perform the sacred ceremony. At exactly mid-day on Saturday when Nomo Dameh Agbeworno, Ngmongmlo Wornor of the Lomobiawe clan, stepped forward to take the microphone to pour the libation, he was disrupted by Nomo Lamptey Adi, Lam Wornor of the Adibiawe clan.

Nomo Lamptey Adi, who claimed that the pouring of libation was his reserved duty, pushed aside Nomo Dameh Agbeworno, compelling the organisers to stop both fetish priests from pouring the libation. The organisers quickly called in the Reverend Father Isaac Maunger of the Ada Catholic Church to give the opening prayer.

The embarrassing incident happened before the full glare of government officials, other dignitaries, tourists and officials of Accra Brewery Limited (ABL), which has been sponsoring the festival for the past three years. The incident did not, however, in any way disrupt or affect the programme for the durbar.

A reliable source told the GNA that traditionally it is the customary prerogative of the Lam Wornor to perform rituals on such festive occasions. However, he has since 1991 ceased to perform this traditional function after he deserted the paramount chief's camp to join a rival faction.

It was, therefore, decided that a priest from any of the four Okor clans would be chosen annually to pour the libation. Mr Daniel Ohene Agyekum, Greater Accra Regional Minister, said the scuffle between the two fetish priests did not speak well of the people of Ada and urged the chiefs elders to find a solution to any dispute between them.

Mr John Mahama, Minister for communications who commissioned a new FM radio station for Ada, announced that contract agreement on the proposed 3.5 billion-cedi District Hospital Project for Ada was signed last month after negotiations between Ghana and China.

The project, which starts at the end of August, will be completed within 13 months. r Mahama said facilities for the project would include all the various units, roads, parking area, road lighting, fencing and installation of medical equipment.

He said work was also progressing on the 3.2 billion- cedi 20.4-kilometre Kasseh Junction-Ada-Foah road, which is expected to be completed by the end of next month.

On water, Mr Mahama said 17 communities in the Dangme East District are to be connected under the South East District Water Supply Project and that 108 standpipes have already been provided. The minister, however, regretted that 73 or two-thirds of the standpipes were in arrears to the tune 5.4 million cedis, resulting in the disconnection of 45 of them.

Mr Ray Stark, Managing Director of ABL, extended a corporate hand to any investor who will be interested in developing the tourism potentials of Ada. Nene Abraham Kabu Akuaku III, paramount chief of the Ada Traditional area, thanked the government for the number of developments going on the district.