Voltarians urged to be proud of their culture

Kumasi, Nov. 7, GNA - Citizens of the Volta Region, residing and working outside their home towns have been advised, not to abandon nor underrate their indigenous culture in favour of either foreign cultural practices or cultures of their present places of abode.

Togbui Amenya Fiti V, Paramount chief of the Aflao Traditional Area who gave the advice, said instead, Voltarians resident outside their home region should take pride in their own cultural heritage, because of its uniqueness and relevance to them as a people.

Togbui Fiti gave the advice in Kumasi on Saturday when he launched the "Amuza" festival, an event instituted by the Voltarian Co-ordinating Council (VCC), to showcase the cultural values and practices of the Volta Region, and also help inculcate in Voltarians resident in the Ashanti Region, affection for their indigenous culture.

The festival, celebrated annually, involved cultural displays of the various indigenous ethnic groupings in the Volta Region, traditional drumming and dancing, songs and the exhibition of indigenous dishes of the region.

Togbui Fiti commended citizens of the region, residing in the Ashanti Region for their foresight and sensitivity to the preservation of their native culture as evidenced in the institution of the Amuza festival.

Togbui Reverend S.K. Fugah, Chief of the Ewe community at Anloga, Kumasi, announced that, apart from the Amuza festival, the VCC had evolved a number of pragmatic measures tailored at making Voltarians residing in the Ashanti Region to deepen their love for their, "own culture and roots and also forge unity amongst them".

The measures he said, included the establishment of a welfare fund, a fan club, and the launching of a Volta FM radio station in the Ashanti Region by October next year.

Togbui Fugah, who is also the Chairman of the VCC, entreated all descendants of the Volta Region, resident outside their home region to strive to pay not only regular visits home, but contribute to more positively towards developments of the region.

He noted that the Volta Region lacked various developments and it was therefore, incumbent on those residing outside to contribute not only financially and materially, but also technically in support of implementation of development projects the area.

Togbui Fugah observed that the inability of some people to pay regular visits home had made "them and their children to virtually loose grips of their culture and developments in the area".