Brong-Ahafo and Volta Regions showcase cultural heritage

Kumasi, Nov 6, GNA- The Brong-Ahafo and Volta Regions on Monday demonstrated their rich cultural diversity and heritage at a colourful ceremony to mark the fifth day of this year's National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) being held in Kumasi.

The event dubbed "Regional Days Celebration", formed part of programmes lined-up to afford the regions in the country the opportunity to showcase their tourism and development potentials as well as the history of their people.

It was a sight to behold as the Tanokrom Agoromma and Have Number II Cultural Troupe from the Brong-Ahafo and Volta respectively treated the gathering to cultural and artistic displays.

Dressed in kente cloths and other traditional wears, Tanokrom Agoromma did the 'Kete' and 'Fontomfrom' traditional dance whiles their counterparts from Volta performed the 'Abgaza' and 'Boborbor' dance to the admiration of the audience and invited guests including the Minister of Chieftaincy and Culture, Mr Sampson Kwaku Boafo, who occasionally joined the groups to perform the traditional dances.

The Regions were represented at the event by their Ministers, a host of District Chief Executives, paramount chiefs and other traditional rulers who came to the durbar grounds in a retinue amidst drumming and singing.

Addressing the gathering, Mr Ignatius Baffour-Awuah, Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, said the region had great potentials for investment in agriculture, mining, industries and tourism, which were yet to be fully exploited for the benefit of the people.

He said in view of this, the Regional Co-ordinating Council (RCC) in collaboration with the Ministry of Trade, Industry, Private Sector Development and President's Special Initiative (PSI) were planning to hold annual expositions dubbed the "Brong-Ahafo Time", which would be aimed at showcasing the tourism and development potentials in the region.

The expositions, he said, would take the form of fairs and bazaars and noted that the event would run alongside the Region's Cultural Awareness Months.

Mr Baffour-Awuah pointed out that amongst its features the region boasts of large reserves of forest and deposits of minerals, cocoa plantations and large acres of food crops, adding that, it also had 44 paramount chiefs and five divisional councils that constituted the Brong-Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs.

Togbega Gabusu VI, Paramount Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area and President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, stressed the need for the nation to preserve and promote her cultural heritage.