By Francis Kwabena Cofie
Akropong (E/R), April 4, GNA – Barima A. Sarpong Asiedu Larbi, the Municipal Chief Executive of Akuapem North, has urged stakeholders to use Heritage Month to promote self-awareness of the unique identity of Ghanaians through cultural and historical innovations.
The month of March has been set aside on a yearly basis to observe and promote Ghanaian heritage.
He said Heritage Month should serve as a vehicle to deepen our knowledge of the cultural values, beliefs and norms that are related to our cultural diversity as Ghanaians.
Mr Larbi gave the advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency when the Akuapem North Municipal Assembly celebrated Heritage Month at Akropong in the Eastern Region.
The event saw staff of the assembly dressed in traditional clothes during which local foods and drinks such as (apapransa, tuo zaafi, fufu) among others were served alongside local drinks like (pito, asaana, lamujin, soobolo and others were also served.
Mr Larbi said the Ghanaian history was integral to the people for which reason it must be always guarded jealously.
He said there was a set of Ghanaian cultural values and norms handed down by the forefathers which we needed to firmly hold on to as a people, adding that there was the need to sustain these values which bonded us.
The MCE indicated that as a national project, it was worth celebrating as it rekindled the spirit of patriotism and unity among the people and educated the younger generation and that it would help instil a sense of pride in the Ghanaian.
“Everything Ghanaian is the best as such we should all rally to promote made-in-Ghana brands and respect anything with Ghanaian origin,” he stated.
Mr Larbi encouraged the inhabitants to respect sanitation bylaws to ensure that the municipality maintains its image as the third cleanest in the country in the latest ranking of the Municipal, Metropolitan and District Assemblies on Sanitation.
He prevailed on the people to vote massively for the Flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia and the parliamentary candidate for Akuapem North, Mr Sammy Awuku, saying that the two were astute politicians who would deliver on their mandate to uplift the fortunes of the area.
Giving a brief history of Akuapem, a Personal Assistant to the Krontihene of Akuapem, Osahene Boafo Ansah III, said the name Akuapem was the corrupted form of the original phrase ‘ekuw apem’ meaning a thousand troops which referred to the aggressor groups who launched an attack on the Guans and Aduanas.
He said the Guans were the first settlers of Akuapem land who were later joined by the Aduanas and other groups who joined forces to fight a common enemy, the Akwamus.
According to him, the Akuapem people have contributed immensely to the development struggle of the country, adding that the major development challenge of the area was the issue of chieftaincy dispute.
On his part, the Nkobeahemaa of Tutu, Nana Abena Oforiwaa Amanfo Takyi-Addo, emphasized that the day was important because we seemed to be forgetting our heritage by the day and on that basis, the celebration of the month would serve as a catalyst to promote our unique customs and traditions.
She said the consumption of local foods would also help curtail the over-dependence on foreign food and change the narrative with time.
As part of the celebration, there was a brief lecture on Akuapem history and history of Ghana while the staff of the assembly participated in games such as ludo, Oware, and Chess, among others.
GNA