Minister calls for conscious cultural renaissance

Have (V/R), June 19, GNA- Mr Kofi Dzamesi, Volta Regional Minister, on Saturday called for a conscious cultural renaissance and rejuvenation as a means of actualizing the rich Ghanaian traditional values and norms, needed for national cohesion and development.

He, therefore, entreated stakeholders in the culture industry, especially chiefs and queenmothers to lead the crusade towards modernizing cultural and traditional practices to unite the people. Mr. Dzamesi made the call in a speech read on his behalf at the 72nd Agadevi festival of the chiefs and people of Have Traditional Area in the Hohoe District.

The festival, which was in aid of a 500 million cedi multi-purpose town hall project, was under the theme, "The Development of Have, Our Shared Responsibility-The Way Forward".

He said globalisation and information communication technology was having a negative toll on the cultural and traditional norms and values, which needed a concerted effort at reversing the trend before it got out of hand.

The Regional Minister re-assured the people of equitable distribution of the nation's resources towards a systematic development of all areas. Mr Dzamesi commended the people for their communal spiritedness, which had culminated into development and called on other areas to emulate their example.

He reminded the people of the prevalence of HIV/AIDS saying the country needed adequate human resource to pursue its developmental agenda.

Mr Prince Kofi Kludjeson, National Chairman of Have Citizens Association, congratulated President John Agyekum Kufuor for seeking the cancellation of the country's debt to the multinational organizations. He was optimistic that this gesture would translate into job creation, wealth creation and accelerated development.

Mr Kludjeson appealed to citizens of Have to redeem their pledges to enable them realizes their collective goal.

Togbe Asemtsra IX, Paramount Chief of Have, said the Agadevi festival was unique because it was the only celebration in the country that emanated from a landslide disaster in 1933. He said the disaster miraculously did not harm any community member, and has since become a rallying and unifying platform for development.

The paramount chief appealed to government to implement the President's Special Initiative (PSI) on cassava in the area to create jobs for the youth.

Togbe Asemtsra said the people were able to execute development projects including the community health centre, the Have Technical Institute and the provision of potable water with assistance of the Community Water and Sanitation Agency (CWSA).

Togbega Delume VI, Vice-President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, observed that chieftaincy and land disputes were on the ascendancy with telling debilitating effects on development of the region and urged parties involved in such conflicts to give peace a chance.

Mr Felix Semavor, a Business Consultant, who presided, pledged 20 million cedis towards development issues at Have.