CEANA holds 30th anniversary convention in Atlanta

The Council of Ewe Associations of North America (CEANA), has held its annual convention in Atlanta, USA.

The 2023 convention marks 30 years since the formation of the Association.

The 4-day event which mainly focused on finding innovative ways of improving agriculture to make it attractive for the youth in Eweland, took place from Thursday, August 31 to Sunday, September 4, 2023, on the theme, “Empowering Our Youth Towards Innovative Entrepreneurship In Transformational Agriculture."

The colourful event was hosted by the Ewe Association of Georgia (EAG) and was patronized by over eight hundred guests from all the 19 Constituent Associations of CEANA, including the USA, Canada, Europe, Ghana, Togo, and Benin.

It was watched and followed by hundreds of thousands of people across the world on social media platforms such as CEANA’s YouTube/Facebook, and other media outlets.

The Convention officially opened on Friday,

September 1, with a board meeting of the CEANA Council of Representatives (COR), chaired by its President Dr. Tsatsu E. Nyamadi.

The morning’s official business included a review of operations for the past year and the election of new executives to lead the organization for the next three years.

As part of the activities, attendees had the privilege of touring the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta and other tourist attractions.

Friday evening was capped with well-choreographed Ewe cultural performances and a fashion show, with patrons treated to old-school 70s and 80s Ghanaian and African music and dance.

On Saturday morning, September 2nd, a procession of delegates and guests from the various branches of the Associations were ushered into a general conference, amidst jubilation and funfair.

President of CEANA, Dr. Tsatu E. Nyamadi in his welcome address, thanked the CEANA Council of Representatives (COR), as well as the leadership of the various branches of the Association and various committees who have over the years, kept the work of CEANA going.

He used the opportunity to reach out to more people, especially Ewes across the globe to support the work of the Association and to help raise more funds to honour CEANA’s commitment to implementing development projects in Eweland.

The President congratulated all the 19 branches of the Association for their unity, zeal, determination, and unity of purpose that have kept the CEANA organization alive and thriving all these years.

Dr. Nyamadi further commended all donors for the following projects that have been recently completed by the Association, which include an Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Library in Lolobi, Ghana, a three-unit classroom block with offices and ancillary facilities at Davou, Togo, and a pedestrian footbridge at Agordoe, Ghana.

He also thanked them for an ongoing project, a Health Center and residential staff quarters with ancillary facilities at Adutor, Ghana and appealed for more support to complete the project successfully.

He said CEANA which was established as a not-for-profit organization has been awarding scholarships to students in Ghana, Togo, and Benin since 2002, with over 300 scholarships awarded to date.

A Saturday evening banquet showcased the unique culture of Eweland, with a procession of chiefs, dignitaries and other traditional leaders from the USA, Canada, Benin, Togo and Ghana.

Among them included the Speaker of Ghana's Parliament, the Rt. Hon. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, who was the guest of honour, the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Archibald Yao Letsa, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ho West and Chairman of the Volta Regional Parliamentary Caucus, Hon. Emmanuel Bedzah, Member of Parliament (MP) for Kpando, Hon. Della Sowah and the representative of the association in Ghana, Togo and Benin, Torgbi Agbelom, Chief of Salo (Anlo) in the Volta Region also known as Nana Ofei Asamani I, the Nkosuohene of Akwamu Traditional council in the Eastern region.

Dr. Letsa in a keynote address, reiterated the need for a

multi-stakeholder engagement and involvement in the quest to build a resolute and improved agriculture system in Ghana and the rest of Africa to ensure food security at all times.

He said the lack of adequate modern educational resources necessary for the proper education of the youth was hampering efforts being made to modernize the agriculture sector and assured of the government's commitment to ensuring that the sector got the necessary push for a change in the status quo.

Dr. Letsa observed that often, individuals want to acquire huge resources before they deem it fit to support a worthy course - "As a result, that good intent eventually becomes the obstacle if one is not careful," he observed.

He advised all patrons of the convention and for that matter, all well-meaning individuals to support the work of CEANA, not only for the good of Eweland but for the entire Ghana.

Togbi Agbelorm for his part, praised the CEANA team spirit and togetherness from all Ewes across the USA and Canada and their resolve to help in the development of Eweland.

He urged other Ewes across the world to "emulate what CEANA is doing for the total socio-economic transformation of Eweland."