Northern Region marks Emancipation Day

Salaga(NR), July 25, GNA - Mrs Oboshie Sai Cofie, Minister for Tourism and Diasporan Relations has expressed concern about some families condoning and conniving with the 'sale' of their children who were being used as sex slaves and engaged in other dehumanizing activities.

She said government was against the practice and would continue with the fight stop such acts and warned that anyone found culpable would be prosecuted.

Mrs Sai Cofie gave the warning in a speech read on her behalf by Mr Godfred Tamakloe, an official of the sector ministry during the Northern Regional Emancipation Day celebration at Salaga on Thursday. She regretted that although emancipation day was being celebrated, the world still suffered from other forms of slavery and servitude saying, "There are oppressions, human rights abuses and other forms of disregard for the lives and freedoms of some people in the world." Mrs Sai Cofie explained that the celebration was to remind all Ghanaians and Africans of the pain, sadness and sorrow that slavery brought to them in order not to get involved again. She said since 1998, Ghana had decided to celebrate the occasion to express solidarity with her kith and kin to create awareness about the evil nature of chattel slavery or slavery of any form. Mrs Sai Cofie said Ghana's claim to the position of gateway to Africa was also grounded in the fact that the country was a major exit point for slaves on the West Coast of Africa during the period of the infamous slave trade.

She said about 40 forts, castles and lodges used for the slave trade were still in existence in the country and all of them had been designated by the UNESCO as World Heritage sites. Mrs Sai Cofie said the ministry remained resolute and committed to the campaign and movement to reunite all Africans in the world and mentioned Emancipation Day, the Joseph Project and PANAFEST as some of the activities for re-uniting Africans both at home and in the Diaspora. Some of the participants later called on Kpembewura, Alhaji Ibrahim Haruna Kibasibi I, Paramount Chief of Kpembe Traditional Area in East Gonja District.

He called on Africans to stop depending on foreign donors since they were capable of developing their own countries. The Kpembewura said Europe was developed by Africans because African ancestors were sent there through slavery to undertake the construction of most of their developmental projects. He noted that some sites in Salaga, such as the Slave Market, Slave wells, baths and the Slave Cemetery were important tourists' sites and appealed to the Ministry of Tourism and Diasporan Relations to help develop them to meet their needed tourism status. The participants used the opportunity to get first hand information on slavery activities in Salaga. 25 July 08