The 2024 Anfoeta Yam Festival of the people of Anfoeta Traditional Area, has been marked in aid of a community centre.
The festival attended by citizens at home and abroad, religious, and political figures, was on the theme: ‘Development through Unity’.
Togbe Gblor Daketse V, Chief of Anfoeta Tsebi Klave and Right Wing of the Anfoeta Traditional Area said it was important for all the citizens to remember why their forefathers celebrated the Yam Festival.
He said the festival was an annual celebration that marked the beginning of the yam harvest season and served to celebrate the successful yam harvest which was considered a vital foodstuff and a symbol of prosperity.
Togbe Gblor Daketse said the festival was a significant cultural event that celebrated the harvest, promoted unity, and preserved the customs and traditions of the community.
He said it was unfortunate that the arrival of civilisation and Western culture had made people forget their cultural practices and mostly described them as anachronis
tic.
Togbe Gblor Daketse said the community centre which was estimated to cost GHS1,200,000 would help the community occupy a place of convenience to converge and hold developmental discussions irrespective of the weather.
He called on the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) to use the event, add it to its calendar and help the Area develop its ‘Dinga’ waterfall for tourist potential development.
Togbe Gblor Daketse commended the health workers at the Community Health Centre for their extraordinary commitment to saving the lives of citizens and others from all social classes.
He also commended all stakeholders, especially Chiefs from surrounding communities and citizens for their tremendous support.
Togbega Kwasi Drah VII, Paramount Chief of Anfoeta Traditional Area, said the ancient unity and love between the Anfoeta and Anfoega Traditional Areas were enviable and must be protected for generations to come.
He said there was a need for citizens outside the area to return home to help develop their homes for g
rowth.
Togbega Drah called on the government and all stakeholders to help operationalise the WETO Technical School located in the area since all facilities needed for teaching and learning were available.
He said the Anfoeta, Tsyome and Ziavi to Ho Road which was still untarred needed speedy construction works to make movement faster and more convenient.
Togbega Drah called on citizens and benevolent individuals and organisations to go to the aid of the Area and build washrooms for the health facility to improve healthcare delivery.
Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, Paramount Chief of Anfoega and President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs urged the citizens of the area to elect hardworking and effective leaders during the 2024 general elections.
He also lamented about abandoning projects that were inherited by successive governments.
Mr Ernest Victor Appau, Ho West District Chief Executive (DCE), urged the citizens to be tolerant of each other during the electioneering period.
He said the government was working
on development projects in the district including the Area which would have its Traditional Council inaugurated soon.
Mr Appau said the government would soon operationalise the WETO Technical School while calling on the traditional leaders to make available acres of land for investments.
He urged the youth to enter farming and receive support from the Assembly and further asked all to support the government to prevent the smuggling of foodstuffs.
Mr Emmanuel Kwasi Bedzra, Ho West Member of Parliament (MP), said the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Running Mate, Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang had supported the Community centre project with 100 bags of cement.
He reiterated the policies of the NDC.
Source: Ghana News Agency