By Grace Princess Tarwo, GNA
Accra, Oct 17,
GNA – Mrs Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has
said Ghana’s traditional festivals are important drivers to grow the country’s tourism sector and
reiterated government’s efforts in achieving that.
She said it was
crucial for communities and assemblies to team up with the Ministry and its
agencies to identify potentials to boost the economy through tourism.
The Minister
said tourism was the fourth biggest foreign exchange earner in the country, and
with hard work and exploration of more avenues in the tourism sector, more
could be achieved.
She was
speaking at a durbar held by the chiefs and people of Kwabre East in the Kwabre
East Municipality of the Ashanti Region, to mark the end of this year’s Kwabre
Anwenee Kente festival on the theme: “The Year of Return, exploiting our
creativity for unity and development”.
Mrs Oteng-Gyasi
urged Ghanaians to visit the tourist sites and emphasized the ‘See Ghana, Eat
Ghana, Wear Ghana and Feel Ghana’ initiative which would help create jobs for
people as they purchased and patronize products locally made to push tourism
upfront.
Mr Simon Osei
Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, commended the people of Kwabre for their
efforts in preserving the designs of Kente and the rich culture of the Ashanti
Region, adding that, government had awarded contracts for the construction of
roads to improve productivity in the Municipality.
He said
government intended to train Kente Weavers in the community and in neighbouring
commuinties.
Nana Osei
Asibbey Bonsu, Kwabre East Municipal Chief Executive, instituted the Kwabre
Anwenee festival two years ago to enable the people in the area, mainly weavers
and woodcarvers, to showcase their products to the world.
Tove Degnbol,
the Danish Ambassador to Ghana, was initiated as a Queen mother of Kwabre.
She commended
the chiefs and people of Kwabre and emphasised the strong ties between Ghana
and Denmark.
Two thousand
(2000) Kente designs were unveiled at the ceremony.
Also in
attendance was Mr Maxwell Kofi Jumah, the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana
Industrial Holding Corporation, Mr Eugene Antwi, Deputy Minister of Works and
Housing, Madam Francisca Oteng Mensah, Member of Parliament for Kwabre East,
Assembly members and a number of chiefs among others.
GNA
