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President Kufuor lauds the tradition
of peace inherent in the national culture
Kintampo (B/A), Nov. 26, Ghanadot/GNA - President John
Agyekum Kufuor has said inherent in customs and traditions
of various ethnic groups in the country were time-tested
values including self-respect, diligence, honesty,
tolerance, brotherliness and respect for human rights.
He said over the years adherence to these values had not
only given the nation peace and security but had also
enabled the different ethnic groups to live together and to
respect each other's traditions and customs.
President Kufuor said this in a speech read for him by Mr.
Kwadwo Mpiani, Chief of Staff and Minister of Presidential
Affairs, at a durbar to climax the Kurubi festival of the
Wangaras in Kintampo on Saturday.
The seven-day celebration was under the theme, "Celebrating
Ghana's golden cultural heritage".
President Kufuor said festivals were appropriate occasions
to acknowledge the efforts of ancestors and past heroes who,
in the case of the people of Kintampo traditional area,
included many who were transported to the Americas during
the Trans-Atlantic slave trade.
"Today, under the auspices of the African Union, measures
are being put in place to facilitate the return of Africans
in the Diaspora as residents, tourists or investors".
President Kufuor said the Ministry of Tourism and Diaspora
Relations had formulated policies towards this end and
advised the people in the Kintampo traditional area to
consider this as an opportunity to re-establish the historic
ties with the people in the Diaspora through tourism.
"Fortunately, the area is endowed with the relics of history
as well as scenic landscape, beautiful waterfalls and other
eco-tourism sites, which can be developed for a vibrant
tourism industry to diversify the local economy, create
secondary jobs and a vibrant market," he said.
President Kufuor urged the people of Wangara to preserve and
document cultural traditions within and among their
communities across the country and also take full advantage
of the opportunities for educational advancement at all
levels.
"This will make you better prepared to exploit the vast
potential of the tourism industry in your traditional area."
President Kufuor presented 20 million cedis in support of
the festivities.
In a good will message, Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama
said the country needed more selfless and pragmatic leaders
to quicken the pace of development and appealed to the youth
to mould their character along these principles.
He said since the New Patriotic Party assumed political
leadership, there had been a tremendous improvement in human
resource and infrastructure development and that the
government had demonstrated the qualities and moral
functions of good leadership.
Vice President Mahama said it was important to build the
intellectual and technological capacity to make future
leaders knowledgeable, innovative, proactive and relevant to
the challenges of society.
"The important attribute of sacrifice is what we want the
youth of today to cultivate and not condone widespread
intellectual and moral docility, which may be convenient for
some association leaders in the short term, but suicidal for
the nation in the long term", he said.
The Vice President commended the people of Wangara for
making history with the revival and successful organization
of the festival and expressed the belief that as the years
rolled by courageous and skillful leaders would seize the
opportunity to change things for the better.
Nana Fanyinama III, President of the Council of Wangara
Chiefs, urged the people to approach national issues with
unity of purpose and eschew all forms of hatred and
antagonism to facilitate the rapid development of the area.
He commended the government for elevating Kintampo North
District into a municipality.
Nana Fanyinama appealed to people who had not registered
with the National Health Insurance Scheme to do so.
GNA
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