By Michael Foli Jackidy
Kpetoe (V/R), Aug. 16, GNA – The chiefs and people of Agortime in the Agortime-Ziope District of the Volta Region, have celebrated the 31st Agortime Kente Festival with a renewed call for the preservation of the traditional craft and the creation of sustainable economic opportunities for the youth.
The festival, held at Kpetoe on Saturday under the theme, “Agortime Kente: Honouring Our Heritage, Safeguarding Our Future,” brought together traditional rulers, government officials, artisans, development partners, residents and visitors from Ghana and neighbouring Togo.
Mr Alex Segbefia, the Chief of Staff at the Office of the Vice President, who represented the government, said Kente occupied an important place in Ghana’s national life and had become one of the most recognised expressions of Ghanaian culture globally.
He said the craft carried the values, identity and history of the people and featured prominently in important milestones and ceremonies.
Mr Segbefia, however, said the knowledge and skills required to sustain authentic Kente weaving could not be taken for granted, as weavers faced rising input costs and increasing competition from cheaper imitations.
He urged stakeholders to create viable livelihoods and growth opportunities to encourage young people to learn and sustain the craft.
He welcomed the development of the Kente Village and Centre of Excellence, saying it could combine cultural preservation with economic development by expanding artisan training, supporting enterprises, encouraging research and innovation, protecting traditional designs and positioning Agortime as a major cultural tourism destination.
He commended the Bank of Ghana for its support and appealed to other institutions and development partners to contribute to the project’s completion.
The Chief of Staff said government’s investment in infrastructure, including the rehabilitation of the Ho-Kpetoe and Kpetoe-Afiadenyigba roads, would improve connectivity, facilitate the movement of raw materials and finished products and make Agortime more accessible to visitors.
He said stronger links between culture, infrastructure, tourism, and enterprise were essential to developing the creative economy.
Mr Segbefia said government was also strengthening institutions under the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, the Creative Arts Agency and other cultural institutions to expand market access, support training and enterprise development, encourage innovation and protect intellectual property, particularly Kente designs.
He also said government had made provision in the 2026 Budget to complete 10 hospitals as part of broader investments in health infrastructure, stressing that unfinished projects would be assessed based on their state of completion and the resources required to complete and equip them.
Mr Charles Agbeve, the Member of Parliament for Agortime-Ziope, said the celebration provided an opportunity to address challenges confronting the Kente industry, particularly the ageing population of master weavers.
He announced plans to work with the Municipal Assembly to introduce a Youth in Kente Weaving Initiative, through which young people, especially women, would be attached to master weavers for practical training and skills transfer.
Mr Agbeve said the initiative would help preserve the weaving tradition while creating employment opportunities for the youth.
He commended local master weavers for their craftsmanship and called for increased support to enable them to sustain and expand their businesses.
Mr Alfred Klu Odikro, the District Chief Executive for Agortime-Ziope, described the festival as a celebration of the identity, history, creativity, unity and resilience of the people.
He said Kente was more than a beautiful fabric, as its colours, patterns and designs conveyed values including wisdom, courage, unity, prosperity, peace and dignity.
Mr Odikro assured the chiefs and people that the Assembly would continue to collaborate with the Traditional Council, private sector and relevant government agencies to promote tourism and cultural development.
He also called for peace, unity and respect for traditional institutions, urging residents to resolve disputes through dialogue and maintain cordial relations with communities across the border in Togo.
Nene Nuer Keteku IV, the Konor and President of the Agortime Traditional Council, said the festival’s theme provided a clear direction for the community to honour its heritage while safeguarding it for future generations.
He said Kente was not merely a textile or commercial commodity but represented the living soul of Agortime and the collective wisdom of its ancestors.
The Konor stressed the need for deliberate efforts to transfer traditional weaving knowledge to young people through homes, schools and workshops, warning that the craft could fade if the younger generation was not equipped with the necessary skills.
He said sustainable cultural tourism required a living and dynamic heritage that was actively practiced and transmitted from one generation to another.
Nene Keteku IV said the Kente Village and Centre of Excellence was intended to provide a permanent foundation for the preservation and development of the craft.
He described the project as an economic engine capable of generating employment, supporting micro-enterprises, creating foreign-exchange opportunities, and protecting traditional Kente designs against counterfeit imitations.
He appealed to other development partners to join the Bank of Ghana in supporting the completion of the project, saying the facility could position Agortime as a regional centre for cultural research, artisan training, tourism and sustainable economic development.
The festival brought together Agortime communities from Ghana and Togo, highlighting the strong cultural and historical ties between the people on both sides of the international border.
The celebration featured cultural displays, Kente exhibitions and other activities showcasing the rich weaving traditions and heritage of the Agortime people.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/ Christabel Addo