By Jones Anlimah
The Chiefs and People of the Agotime Traditional Area in the Agotime-Ziope District of the Volta Region have celebrated their annual Kente Festival with a renewed commitment to enhancing the economic benefits of the local Kente weaving industry.
To this end the Konor of the Traditional Area, Nene Nuer Keteku, has appealed to the government to support the completion of the Kente Village Project, a key infrastructure initiative that aims to create a centralized market for kente products and promote tourism in the district.
Kente Festival, known traditionally as “Agbamevorza,” by the Chiefs and People of Agotime Traditional Area in the Agotime-Ziope district of the Volta region is an annual event that attracts visitors from across the country and beyond. It also serves as a platform to showcase the unique and rich Kente designs of the Agotime people and promote their cultural heritage.
This year’s celebration with no exception, was characterized by colourful display of various kente patterns, cultural performances, and an exhibition of kente products.
Under the theme, “Repositioning the Kente Heritage for Inclusive Development”, this year’s festival highlighted the importance of kente not only as a cultural symbol but also as a potential driver of economic growth for the area.
The Konor of the Agotime Traditional Area, Nene Nuer Keteku IV, underscored the importance of peace in the Agotime Traditional Area as a fundamental prerequisite for development. He called on the people to maintain unity and harmony, emphasizing that without a peaceful environment, the Traditional Area’s aspirations for economic growth, particularly in the kente industry, would be difficult to achieve.
“We urge government to support the completion of the Kente Village project.This initiative will create a market for kente products, directly employing significant number of our young people. Moreover, it will attract tourists and bring associated benefits to Agotime.”
The District Chief Executive (DCE) of Agotime-Ziope, Emily Emefa Adzimah, expressed government’s commitment to supporting the growth of the kente industry. She acknowledged the significance of kente to the district’s identity and economy and assured the people of government’s commitment to developing the district through it’s various interventions.
She expressed worry over high drug abuse by the youth in the area and called for concerted efforts to reverse the trend. “Drug abuse has become a serious problem. The cause of the his alarming rate especially among the youth can be traced to high rate of school drop out. The youth are using all sort of drugs such as marijuana, weed, tramadol and others to get high. This phenomenun should be a worry to all of us because the mental health and the general well-being of our youth is at stake.”, she remarked.
The Chiefs and People of Agotime say they are determined to elevate their kente heritage into a cornerstone of economic prosperity, with the hope that strategic support from the government will turn this vision into reality.
