By Ewoenam Kpodo, GNA
Anlo-Afiadenyigba (VR), Oct 30, GNA – Togbi Agbesi Awusu II, the Awadada of Anlo State, has called on towns and communities in Anloland to harness resources at their disposal for development.
He said the Anlo area abound in rich resources, including the Keta Lagoon suitable for fish farming and salt mining, which required conscious efforts to develop for economic benefits to the people, the region and the country.
The Awadada, who was speaking as the Guest of Honour at the Mini Hogbetsotsoza 2022 durbar held at Anlo-Afiadenyigba in the Keta Municipality, said the time to sit down and wait for government to provide employment to the youths was gone and communities needed to explore their resources to provide jobs.
“Anlo-Afiadenyigba, for instance, has its main economic activities as salt mining, fishing and ‘kete’ (kente) weaving, which are industries that can be well developed. Each of these industries holds great potential and has ready markets. What is needed is partnership with players in these sectors to create jobs. You take charge because leaving them for others/government will be disastrous.
Let’s change the narrative where our young ones, after their education, migrate to other places in search of non-existent jobs and end up living less dignified lives. The education that came to our coast decades back trained our people in arithmetic and accounting to equip us with skills in taking stock of their (Europeans) businesses. Times have changed. Let’s create the jobs.”
Togbi Awusu called on chiefs and people of Anlo to eschew selfishness and lawlessness as these could bring disunity and retrogression, saying, without unity, there could not be progress.
He advised royal families to follow laid down procedures in Anlo in installing their kinsmen as chiefs to avoid having to spend resources on legal battles afterwards while also asking the citizens not to turn away from their heritage such as language, music and dance as that would amount to losing their “Anlo-ness.”
Saturday’s durbar saw a display of rich tradition and culture with variety of drumming and dancing had in attendance Members of Parliament for Anlo, Keta and Ketu South, Municipal and District Chief Executives for Anloga and Keta as well as people from the academia, business, politics and chiefdom (including from Ada and Ga).
Mini Hogbetsotsoza which rotates in Anlo towns and communities with the aim of making every Anlo citizen have a feel of the celebration and to reaffirm the bond of relationship among the 13 divisions of the Anlo State, is celebrated on the last Saturday in October, a week to the main Hogbetsotsoza.
GNA