Barbara Oteng Gyasi, Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture
The Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has unveiled plans to prioritize the various local Ghanaian festivals and publicize them internationally to attract more foreigners.
Madam Barbara Oteng Gyasi, the sector Minister said the Ministry, which is placed fourth, in terms of foreign exchange earnings, would leverage on the potential of festivals to attract tourists into the country, as different cultures are displayed.
The Minister, therefore, urged Ghanaians and Africans in the diaspora to patronize the original made-in-Ghana unique Kente fabrics, handicrafts and other products to rake in more revenue to grow the economy.
Madam Gyasi was speaking at a grand durbar to climax the celebration of a week-long Kwabre -Anwinie Kente festival at Mamponteng, the capital of the Kwabre East Municipality in Ashanti.
She said the colourful silk-woven cloth, unique to Ghana, has high economic value to boost the Ghanaian economy but this is being compromised by other inferior types on the global market.
The Kwabre -Anwinie Kente Festival launched two years ago, is held annually to draw attention to the various age-old Kente production sites in the Kwabre enclave, whilst also showcasing the exquisite Kente and Adinkra designs to upscale and sustain marketability.
It attracted distinguished personalities like Francisca Oteng-Mensah, Member of Parliament for the area, Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister and Madam Tove Degnbol, the Danish Ambassador to Ghana.
This year’s edition of the event was just a panorama of Kente as everyone in attendance wore a Kente fabric. Even the durbar grounds were bedecked with Kente.
Each day in the festive week was devoted to each of the various Kente-weaving communities in the Kwabre enclave to exhibit their different array of kente and Adinkra merchandise.
Madam Francisca Oteng-Mensah, Member of Parliament for the area, said the high demand for Kente can boost and sustain the production value-chain to contribute immensely to the aggregate revenue accrued from the culture and tourism industry and thus create employment for the teeming youth.
She added her voice to calls for Ghanaians and those of African living outside the country to buy made-in-Ghana goods such as jewellery and other handicrafts to boost the economy.
The MP also took the opportunity to advise Kente weavers and the other Craftsmen within the Kwabre enclave to add value and maintain the uniqueness of the products.
