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Eastern Region holds Festival of Arts and Culture
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• Dr Akosua Abdallah (left), greeting Daasebre Kwaku Boateng III
Cultural display was at its best in the Eastern Region during this year’s Regional Festival of Arts and Culture which was celebrated at the Koforidua Jubilee Park.
The region which has 11 traditional areas namely Anum, Boso, Manya and Yilo Krobo, Akuapem, Akyem Abuakwa, Bosome, Kotoku, Kwahu, Akwamu and New Juaben had their cultures displayed through beautiful performances.
Several performances, including the dipo, adowa, borborbo, among other traditional dance were performed by the Ohu Cultural Group from Akropong, Klama Cultural Group from Odumase-Krobo, Nyanyui Borborbor and Centre for National Culture (CNC) Cultural Group in Koforidua, to the admiration of the audience.
The Asokore Seventh Day Adventist, Oyoko Methodist and Ghana Senior High Schools were among schools that performed through poem recitals, brass band performance and singing of corals.
The Eastern Regional Police Band was also present to grace the occasion which was chaired by the Omanhene of New Juaben Traditional Area, Daasebre Kwaku Boateng III.
Speaking on the theme: “Reviving Patriotism, Peace and Unity Through Cultural Diversity for Sustainable Development,” the Director in charge of Community Education and Youth Development (CEYD) at the National Commission on Culture (NCC), Dr Akosua Abdallah said it was worrying to note that modernisation and globalisation had affected and continued to affect every aspect of national life and culture.
“You will go to a house and they are eating fried rice, noodles and other foods that are not Ghanaian. Where are our traditional foods like ampesi, fufu and the rest? We need to go back and teach our children our traditional foods and culture and stop adopting western culture which was depleting our culture,” she said.
She said there was an urgent need to imbibe into the youth, a sense of patriotism, nationalism, unity and a selfless ideal towards the country, adding that the NCC believed in a national strategy that sought to promote and sustain the interest of Ghanaians, particularly the youth and called for some stock-taking and deeper reflection on “our ideals so that we can teach our youth.”
She said the NCC was committed to promoting the national culture and would continue to hold such events to promote the cultures to the international community.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Seth Kwame Acheampong stated that the Culture and Creative Arts Industry was an essential component of the country’s economy which was making significant contribution to national development.
“We consciously need to guard it by steadfastly holding on to it for employment and wealth creation and it is important to uphold the rich cultures handed to us by our ancestral heritage taking cognisance of its vitality and values,” he said.
He said the theme was apt since the country had allowed for western cultures to permeate the Ghanaian culture through technology, adding that the situation had caused a lot of indiscipline among the youth.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu
Agyeman, Koforidua
African leaders have been urged to strengthen political commitment and domestic investment to end preventable maternal deaths and AIDS by 2030.
The call comes as African health ministers and policymakers meet in Accra to deliberate on health financing, health security and universal health coverage across the continent.
Mr Edouard Bizimana, Burundi’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation, made the call on Tuesday at the opening of the African Union’s (AU) 25th Extraordinary Summit on Health in Accra.
He said Africa needed increased domestic investment to build resilient health systems as it continued to grapple with infectious diseases and the growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
Mr Bizimana, who is also Chairperson of the AU Executive Council, said although Africa accounted for nearly 17 per cent of the world’s population, it bore 24 per cent of the global disease burden while having less than three per cent of the global health workforce and only one per cent of global health expenditure.
“Despite maternal mortality declining by nearly 40 per cent since 2000, Africa still accounts for about 70 per cent of maternal deaths globally, while almost two-thirds of people living with HIV reside on the continent,” he said.
Mr Bizimana said the growing burden of NCDs was placing additional pressure on already stretched health systems.
“These figures are not merely statistics. They represent painful human realities, preventable losses and unacceptable inequalities, they remind us that health is not an expense it is a strategic investment and a prerequisite for our sovereignty and development. “he said.
Mr Bizimana said recent global health emergencies had exposed Africa’s vulnerability and underscored the need to expand local production of medicines and vaccines, strengthen the health workforce and improve emergency preparedness.
“Our citizens expect resilient health systems where every mother can give birth safely, every child has access to essential healthcare and every African enjoys quality health services regardless of where they live,” he said.
The two-day summit, being held ahead of the 20th Extraordinary Session of the AU Assembly of Heads of State and Government, has brought together health ministers, policymakers and health stakeholders to identify solutions to Africa’s health financing and security challenges.
Madam Florence Samizi, Tanzania’s Deputy Health Minister, called for stronger collaboration among AU Member States to accelerate progress towards universal health coverage.
The summit is being held on the theme: “Advancing Justice, Equality and Universal Health Coverage: Ending AIDS, Tuberculosis, Improving Maternal Health, Addressing Endemic Non-Communicable and Neglected Tropical Diseases in Africa.”
The meeting is expected to adopt the Accra Declaration, a roadmap to strengthen Africa’s health systems and advance health sovereignty by 2030. -GNA
Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana’s Department of Political Science, Dr. Joshua Jebuntie Zaato says the imprisonment of the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Bernard Antwi Boasiako, popularly known as Chairman Wontumi, will have little meaning unless it leads to a broader crackdown on illegal mining.
In a post on his Facebook page on the July 21, 2026, Dr. Zaato said the judgment should mark the beginning of efforts to completely eradicate galamsey and hold all those involved accountable, regardless of their political affiliation.
He said the country must work towards restoring polluted rivers, protecting forests and ensuring that people implicated in illegal mining activities are prosecuted.
According to him, those the President has publicly acknowledged to be involved in galamsey should face prosecution.
He called for the prosecution of district chief executives (DCEs), members of Parliament (MPs) and senior political party officials who have been accused of engaging in or supporting illegal mining.
Dr. Zaato further urged the government to take decisive action to end the destruction of the country’s forests caused by galamsey.
He maintained that the imprisonment of Chairman Wontumi would only have a lasting impact if it results in a comprehensive and impartial fight against illegal mining across the country.
By: Jacob Aggrey
