Chiefs and people of Prampram celebrate Homowo

Prampram,(GAR) Aug. 16, GNA - The Chiefs and people of Prampram in the Greater Accra Region on Tuesday started ceremonies to mark their two-day Annual Homowo festival.

Homowo of the Ga-Adangbe people, which literally means, "hooting at hunger," traditionally signifies a season of abundant harvest after a prolonged famine period.

The day was marked with the display of Asafo companies and the firing of muskets.

Nene Tetteh Djan III, the Paramount Chief, accompanied by some elders, first went to the "La Luwe" Shrine and performed some customary rites and prayed for the blessing of the gods before sprinkling the traditional food, "Kpokpoi" at Annorwe (the ancestral ruling house of Prampram), other royal houses, the main entrance to the town and the streets to signify the commencement of the festival. The customary entry to La Luwe, the biggest shrine in the area signifies peace and tranquillity in the Prampram traditional area. Nene Djan said Homowo is the day for family gathering, eating of Kpokpoi in homes, settlement of disputes, planning of funerals, marriages, divorce and the performance of Dipo-- puberty rite for adolescent girls.

This year's celebration is under the theme: "Justice and Peace". Nene Djan used the occasion to urge his people to register with the National Health Insurance Scheme before the end of the month.

He said all eligible people who, for any reasons could not register due to the seed money or premium should go to the Traditional Council to have their name written by the council who, would later screen them to access their level of poverty and those found to be in need would be registered free of charge by the Council.

He therefore, urged the people not to embrace the exercise because their good health should be paramount to them and society. He said it is regrettable that while Prampram could not complete the only Senior Secondary School in the area, people sell lands and "pocket the proceed." This, he said, would stop, as he is going to register all Prampram lands with the Land Title Registry. He warned that Prampram lands are not for sale and all those who bought lands from people not known to the Council would have themselves to blame.

To be on the safer side, Nane Djan appealed to those who have bought lands from sub-chiefs to submit the documents to the Prampram Traditional Council (TDC) for regularisation.

This is to ensure effective monitoring, policy formulation and keeping relevant documents on the lands. Aug. 16 05