Let’s use the spirit of PANAFEST for economic emancipation – Catherine Afeku

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, Catherine Afeku, has said the celebration of African Emancipation Day must be seen as a complete call for the economic empowerment of African nations.

According to her, “It is time for Africa to grow beyond international aid and achieve economic independence; therefore, the focus of Africans should be centred on propelling the economic growth of their countries.

The minister was addressing a durbar at this year’s wreath-laying ceremony in Accra on Tuesday to commence the celebration of the 25th Pan-African Historic Festival (PANAFEST) and Emancipation Day.

The wreath-laying ceremony was organised to pay tribute to the fallen fathers of Africa and of African descent, who by their toils, liberated Africans from servitude.

Three separate wreath-laying events were done on the graves of three illustrious sons – Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first president, Dr William Edward Burghardt Du Bois, a prominent political activist and George Padmore, a Pan-Africanist.

Tributes were also paid to the big shots of Africa’s emancipation, including Kwamena Mensah-Sarbah, Nelson Mandela, Nana Yaa Asantewaa, Casely Hayford, Bob Marley, Martin Luther King and John Henry Clark.

This year’s PANAFEST and Africa Emancipation Day celebration is on the theme: ‘Emancipation, Our Heritage, Our Strength’ and on the sub-theme: ‘The Power of Pan-African Culture’.

The theme, Madam Afeku stated, must be used to champion the economic interest of Africans, adding, “Our leaders must put personal interests aside and pursue the collective interest of the people.”

“Let us dream Africa first, read Africa first and live Africa first,” she said.

Madam Afeku gave the assurance that the government was resolute to pursue Ghana’s emancipation to the fullest, especially in the area of economic development.

She also reaffirmed the commitment of the ministry and the Ghana Tourism Authority to protecting the cultural heritage.

The President of the African-American Association of Ghana, Madam Theresa Kwakye, said, “Despite the pain the people of Africa have suffered in building the continent, they are still determined, resilient and strong.”

She expressed appreciation to the people of Africa for welcoming returnees from outside the continent back to their root, and urged Africans to unite for economic progress.

The 2017 PANAFEST and Emancipation Day celebration started on July 25 and will end on August 2.

It would feature activities such as a welcoming ceremony for Africans in the Diaspora, a durbar of chiefs and queen mothers, an expo and an inter-faith dialogue to highlight the roles played by religion during the slave trade.

Other attendees were Madam Emilia Almeida, who is in-charge of Foreign Affairs of Angola, and dignitaries of the embassies of Zimbabwe, Niger, Nigeria, Cuba, South Sudan, some officials of the Ghana Tourism Authority, PANAFEST Foundation, Ministry of Tourism and other stakeholders