Ministry making efforts to revive Ghana's fading culture

Busua (W/R) Sept.18, GNA- The Ministry for Chieftaincy and Culture is now ready to lead the crusade of reawakening and repackaging the country's flagging culture for acceptance by both local people and tourists.

Mr. Sampson Kwaku Boafo, the sector Minister said this would also encourage the people to critically examine their culture to determine their true identity based on their cultural heritage. This, he said, had become necessary due to the influence of Western culture on the people that was gaining too much foothold. Mr. Boafo was addressing a durbar at Busua on Monday to round off the annual Kundum festival of the chiefs and people of the Ahanta Traditional Area in the Western Region.

The ceremony also marked the cerebration of the 40th anniversary of the enstoolment of Otumfuo Baidoe Bonsoe XV as Omanhene of the area. The Minister said the time had come for Ghanaians to accept their cultural values with pride and dignity to enable them to forge ahead as a people.

Mr. Boafo expressed worry that some people have developed taste for foreign goods and lifestyle and do not patronise made in Ghana goods. He noted that chieftaincy disputes affected development and said the Ministry was doing its best to settle some of these disputes through dialogue with the feuding factions.

Mr. Boafo advised Ghanaians against expensive funerals that had become "competitive festivals" during which wealth was lavishly displayed, ending up with huge debts for the bereaved families.

Mr. Boafo announced that this year's National Festival of Arts and Culture (NAFAC) would be organised in Kumasi in November during which the investment opportunities and peculiarities of each region among others would be showcased.

Papa Owusu Ankomah, a New Patriotic Party presidential aspirant and member of parliament for Sekondi, commended the chiefs in the region for participating in the festival and said it was a sign of unity among the traditional rulers and people.

He advised the people, particularly the youth to acquire higher education and training to enable them to benefit fully from the economic potentials that the discovery of oil in the area may bring. Mr. Anthony Evans Amoah, Western Regional Minister, called for unity and cooperation among the chiefs to enhance the development of the region.

He said 243 kilometres of roads in the region would be reshaped and tarred to make them motorable at the cost of six million Dollars. Otumfuo Baidoo Bonsoe thanked the people for their support and cooperation during the 40 years of his reign.

He announced that an education endowment fund would be established to support youth in the area to acquire skills and knowledge. Otumfuo Baidoo Bonsoe appealed to President John Agyekum to fulfil a promise he made to the people to build a district hospital at Agona-Nkwanta.