Support Queenmothers to survive - Nana Amfoah

Gomoa Tarkwa (C/R), Aug 8, GNA - The new Queenmother of Gomoa Tarkwa, Nana Amfoah II, has appealed to chiefs, heads of clans and communities to support queen mothers to lead dignified lives. She said queen mothers, who are often compelled to leave their jobs, are left to fend for themselves without any support whatsoever after their grandiose outdooring. Nana Amfoah, a trader, made the appeal during her outdooring at Gomoa Tarkwa on Tuesday.

"Lands should be made available to queen mothers and the communities should assist them to farm," she said and appealed to chiefs to cede part of proceeds from arbitration and other stool property to their queens.

The outdooring formed part of activities to mark their annual Ahobakese Festival.

Ahoba Festival is celebrated to commemorate the sacrifice of one of their citizens called Ahor who laid down his life so that his people could be saved from a plague which attacked and killed many of them after their migration from Techiman to their present settlements. Another trader, Adjoa Alima, was outdoored as Queen for the Obaatan, a sub-chief, under the name Adjoa Otwuwaa II.

Nana Egyir Akomanyi V, chief of the community, announced that plans were far advanced to establish a Teacher Training College in the town with the help of the Catholic Church in Ghana. He appealed to the government and donor agencies to help them to make the project, for which a large tract of land had been released, a reality.

Mr Stephen Bawah, National President of Gomoa Tarkwa Youth Association, said 10 vibrant branches of the association had been formed to speed up the town's development. Mr Bawah said apart from the Teacher Training College, the youth had also initiated expansion work on the clinic in the town. He commended the associations for their contributions to the town, saying Accra branch had donated 10 mattresses to the clinic, Kasoa branch 1,000 exercise books for the schools whilst Kumasi branch arranged for medical doctors to conduct free medical examinations for the citizens. Mt Joe Donkoh, Gomoa West NPP Chairman, called on the youth who had attained the age of 18 years and above to register. He cautioned minors not to attempt to register because it is an offence to do so. Mr Eric Botwey, Assembly Member for the town, urged parents to invest in their children's education. Parents should not use the introduction of the Capitation Grant as a licence to shirk their responsibilities to their children's education. An amount of GH¢4,000 was realised in fundraising to support development projects.