By Kamal Ahmed
Somanya (E/R), Nov. 20, GNA – Oklepemeh Nuer Anorbah Sasraku II, the Paramount Chief of Yilo Krobo, has urged the government to return the ancestral home of the Krobo people, which was taken from them by the colonial British administration.
The Chief made this call while addressing the grand durbar of the 32nd Kloyosikplemi Festival Celebration in Somanya, Eastern Region, held under the theme: “Redefining the Tourism Narrative of Yilo Klo State for Infrastructural Development.”
In his address, he expressed concern regarding the Lands Commission’s management of land resources, highlighting that the Krobo people had gained nothing from the sale or administration of their ancestral lands.
He stressed the urgent need for the return of the Mountains and their surrounding lands to the Krobo people.
Despite the traditional authority’s persistent efforts in recent years to reclaim their ancestral home, these appeals had unfortunately been unaddressed by successive governments.
“The current condition has deprived the traditional council of its lands for commercial activity, as well as indigenes who may need the land owing to population growth,” he said.
The Chief encouraged the government to extend the construction of the Adenta-Dodowa roads to Somanya, and roads leading to market centres and tourism destinations.
He noted that the roads had been in a deplorable state for long and had been patched multiple times but remained in poor condition.
He further requested a pickup vehicle for the district hospital to enhance its administrative operations and improve healthcare services for members of the community.
Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, the Vice President who was the special guest of honour at the Kloyosikplemi festival emphasised the vital role traditional authorities played in the country’s development and reiterated the government’s commitment to collaborating with them to foster social and economic growth.
In response to a request from the chief, Dr Bawumia pledged to provide a pickup vehicle to the Somanya Municipal Hospital within the next week to enhance their operational capabilities.
He took the opportunity to honour Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, urging all stakeholders to actively participate in its preservation, which he considered sacred.
He also appealed to the chief and people for support in his bid to become President of Ghana in the upcoming December 7, 2024, elections.
The festival brought together traditional leaders, political figures, religious groups, and the community of Somanya, celebrating the Kloyosikplemi festival.
The event memorialises the forceful eviction of their ancestors from their ancestral home atop the Krobo Mountains in 1892 by the British colonial government.
Kloyosikplemi, which translates to “The Descent from Krobo Mountain,” is among the festivals of migration and is celebrated over a week with various activities.
The festival reflects the deep cultural significance of the Krobo Mountains, which have served as a home and spiritual centre for the Krobo people for centuries.
GNA