MP supports 2012 La Homowo to consolidate peace, unity

The 72 clan houses in La, in Accra, have received free food items from their Member of Parliament towards this year's Homowo (festival) celebration, which promises to consolidate the restoration of peace and unity in the area.

Nii Amasah Namoale, the MP for La Dadekotopon and Deputy Minister for Food and Agriculture in-charge of Fisheries, presented to each clan house on Tuesday, two bags of maize, two bunches of palm fruit and fishes to enable them prepare enough “Kpopkoi”, the traditional Homowo food, to fete residents and visitors.

The items, the second time the MP had donated towards the celebration, valued at about GH¢10,000.

Family representatives of the various clans received the items at a brief ceremony at La on behalf of their leaders.

Nii Namoale was instrumental in resolving the 15-year-old chieftaincy dispute in 2011, which denied the people of La the opportunity to celebrate Homowo celebration and other development needs.

The MP reminded the people of the need to stay united and let peace continue to be paramount as they prepare to participate in all the activities earmarked for the Homowo celebration.

The MP said the funds for the donation came from his share of the MP Common Fund, which invariably belonged to the people.

“In fact our MP, Nii Amasah Namoale has done very well for us people in La. We have never seen this kind of support for the homowo before. He did it last year and he has doubled it this year,” Florence Quaye of the Kwei Family told the media.

The 2012 Homowo was launched last week with a ban on drumming, loud music and noise making with the la Traditional area.

Homowo, which is a festival celebrated among the Gas in Greater Accra Region, is to remind the people of one time famine, means hooting at hunger. “Kpokpoi”, the main food for the festival, is made from maize and eaten with a palm nut soup.

On the Homowo day, all the people in the clan houses will meet to eat together from one bowl the Kpokpoi and count themselves to see the number of those who died and those that are living.