Heritage Month Celebrations Day Observed In Ningo – Prampram

The programme brought together traditional leaders, stakeholders and players in the tourism and culture sector who brought their experiences to bear, there were local drumming and dancing, and performances of the Kpatsa and the Dipo dances which were peculiar to the area. there were exhibitions of local arts and craft, such as beaded products, locally made clothing, leather bags and goods locally made snacks all in the quest to bring the mind on the culture of the area. School children were also present to learn about history and culture.

Heritage month is observed in Ghana in the month of March to celebrate everything Ghanaian from the taste of the cuisine to the sights and sounds of the cultural existence.

The District Chief Executive Hon. Al-Latiff Tetteh Amanor was impressed with the rich show of culture. According to him culture inspires discipline and makes one do the right thing. “We are different tribes with a common destiny” he added. Narrating his personal experience, he noted that he holds his traditional leaders in high esteem, noting that he consults them in many ways in his administration hence the success story behind the completion of the New Assembly Complex which has brought a relief to staff of the Assembly.

The District Coordinating Director Mr. Bernard Mats Yingura who added his voice was surprised at the talent exhibited by the Prampram Senior High Technical Institute in the making and displaying of their local crafts, he thanked the teachers for the support they are giving them, according to him wearing the locally made clothing brings more elegance and colour in the dressings, and it’s becoming a business venture for many.

He proposed that the Heritage month celebrations should be celebrated two times in a year in the District to educate pupils and community dwellers on the need to embrace culture and appreciate who we are.

The District Culture and Tourism Officer Mrs. Joyce Ayorkor Guddah Ankomah in her address noted that this year’s celebration was with the theme, “sustainability, Heritage and Tourism – United in diversity” and it was also with the aim to commemorate Ghana’s rich cultural heritage and promote unity through diversity.

She added that the celebration also provides an opportunity to reflect on the history, celebrate the cultural diversity and assess the present to preserve the collective culture for future generations.

The Guest Speaker Dr. Narh Hargoe a lecturer at the University of Ghana School of Performing Arts told a story about the root of the Ga-Dangbe tribe hailing all the way from Nigeria through to Dahome, to Togo and to their present day, reminding all present to hold dear the culture that has been preserved to us.

He called on the school children present not to only rely on their knowledge in school to make a living but take their creative arts and design lessons seriously, he admonished them to develop local entrepreneurial skills in craftsmanship such as soap making, basket weaving, African clothes making since the demand is high it serves as a money making venture and a good business since the white collar jobs after school are not much available.

The Chairperson for the programme Naana Dugbakuwor Dugba II also added her voice to the fact that culture is key in the dealings of man, “the way we dress, the way we talk, and the way we relate with the elderly is peculiar to us” she added. She encouraged all especially the children to develop the culture of speaking the Dangbe language.

Mr. Jerry Johnson President of the Diaspora Community gave a vivid description and enactments of how Africans were stripped off their freedoms during the slave trade era about 17 000 years ago, families were separated from each other, others were sold to work in hard labour on farms in other continents across the world, and lost their identity. Hence the names African- American, African Caribbean’s in the diaspora, he noted some Africans in the diaspora are being advised to trace their root and visit home and if possible help develop their home regions, advising the young ones to hold their culture dear, because it is the power to change the world.

ISD