Hani, (B/R), April 27, GNA – Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, the Bono Regional Minister has lauded France’s tremendous support towards building Ghana’s indigenous rich cultural heritage and enhancing the nation’s tourism industry as well.
She said culture depicted the true identity of indigenous Ghanaians, and noted the government’s appreciation of support from France in helping to portray the true indigenous culture of the Ghanaian people.
Mad Owusu-Banahane gave the commendation when she addressed a durbar of the chiefs and people of Hani on the side-lines of the inauguration of the Begho Community Museum in the Tain District of the region.
The French Embassy in Accra funded the renovation and transformed a library built in 1974 into the community museum, under the Begho Area Archaeological Project (BAAP).
The Museum contains remains recovered from the second century AD to the mid-18th century AD and includes artifacts such as ancestral bowls, clay crucibles, smoking pipes, spindle whorls, metallurgical implements and ceramic vessels.
There are other prehistoric artefacts such as micro-lithic tools, stones axes, and rasps all recovered from Mumute site in the area which dates to 1500 BC at the museum.
Mad Owusu-Banahene said Ghana had diverse rich and interesting cultural heritages that could be harnessed to push rapid socio-economic development, but regretted such indigenous culture that reflected the true identity of the people remained in the shadows.
She therefore called on traditional rulers to revisit the ancient story telling approach to resuscitate tradition and culture, and helped instill in young people indigenous Ghanaian moral values as well.
The Regional Minister expressed concern about moral decadence among the youth and attributed the menace partly to the adulteration of foreign cultures, and called for re-introduction of tradition and culture into basic school curricula to promote and project the nation’s diverse and rich cultural heritage.
Mr Daniel Kumah, a Lecturer, Archaeology and Heritage Studies at the University of Ghana told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) the Bono Region had several archaeological and tourist attraction sites including; Bono-Manso and Kunsu Slave routes which could be developed to enhance eco-tourism.
Mr Kumah BAAP to re-examine the ancient town of Begho (modern day Hani) archaeologically and further interrogate its importance during the Trans-Saharan Trade, led the Ambassador and her entourage together with the Regional Minister to inspect some archaeological sites in the area.
“We have several archaeological sites which show the physical records of our past. There is therefore the need for the nation to develop these sites to build on our cultural heritage”, Mr Francis Kwaragyire, the Ashanti Regional Director of Ghana Museum, told the GNA.
He however regretted that successive governments had failed to recognise and invest in the development of these sites, saying “it would be difficult for us as a nation to develop if we don’t know and cherish our true identity”.
Mr Kwaragyire expressed concern about lack of resources impeding the work of the Ghana Museum, and called on the media to highlight and promote the culture of the people to attract investment into the sector.
Earlier in a welcoming address, Kyere Amaniapong, the Krontihene of Hani, thanked the French Embassy for its support to the community, hoped the media would promote the museum to attract tourist into the area.
GNA