Mr Issahak Ibrahim, the Atwima Mponua District Chief Executive (DCE), has stressed the need to invest in initiatives that will encourage school children to read at all times. 

He said a nation that invested in reading invested in its future, since a reading child was a potential future leader. 

Speaking at the District Reading Festival for 32 schools in the district, at Nyinahin, he said reading strengthened literacy skills and inspired young leaders to unlock their full potentials while nurturing a lifelong love for learning, which leads to success. 

Mr Ibrahim, therefore, enjoined teachers, parents, pupils and all stakeholders in the district to inspire every child to discover the limitless possibilities that begin with the act of reading in order to make it reflect the shared commitment to building a generation of confident readers, critical thinkers and lifelong learners in the society. 

He pledged his commitment to support and empower more children and help them to achieve higher educational laurels in the area, while championing the cause of reading among children to achieve the related benefits. 

“I remain committed to supporting educational initiatives that would empower our children with the knowledge and skills they needed to succeed in an ever-changing world,” he stated. 

The festival was organised by the District Directorate of Education in conjunction with the ISMAT Foundation, a local educational non-governmental organisation (NGO) founded by the DCE, to support needy learners in the district and beyond. 

The festival was under the theme: “Turn a page to begin a journey.” 

The festival was aimed at encouraging and motivating the interest of pupils in reading and general learning. 

All the 32 participating pupils from four zones within the district received school bags, exercise books, pens, pencils, erasers, mathematical sets and certificates. 

Lawal Kwame from the Botrampa D/A Basic and Sadique Bamba from the Mpasatia African Faith Preparatory schools in the Nyinahin Zone, emerged first in the KG One and two classes, whilst Alice Fosu, Beatrice Sarfowaa and Priscilla Agyemang from the Adiembra Anglican Basic School also in the Nyinahin Zone, came first from Basic One to Basic Three classes respectively.  

Ernest Duah from the Mampong Abebrese D/A and Blessing Sika from the Sreso Presby School in the Sreso Zone as well as Eric Osei Agyemang from Adiembra Anglican Basic School came first in the Upper Primary department. 

Ms Ama Adwubi Asafu-Adjaye, the District Director of Education, commended the DCE for the programme, which was the first of its kind after the year 2022 one, which was supported by the USAID. 

She said a Basic One boy called Obed Awuku from Mampong Abebrese D/A Basic School climbed from the district through a Regional contest, won and placed second at the national level in the year 2022 as one Salam Mohammed of the Otaakrom D/A Islamic Basic School, who also emerged as the 2024 winner in the district also placed fifth among the 16 regional participants even though they had a very short notice for preparation. 

She said other achievements encouraged her and her management to make the programme an annual event in June and July as part of the activities on their academic calendar and a source of pride for the district. 

She, therefore, encouraged the teachers to work harder to produce talented kids for higher achievements from the area. -GNA 

Ghana’s south-western coastline became the meeting point of history, diplomacy and cultural heritage on Saturday, July 26, 2026, as foreign diplomats, a senior UNESCO official and members of the international community embarked on a historic tour of Ahanta West’s centuries-old forts and landmarks during the 2026 Ahanta Heritage Month celebrations.

 The Ahanta Heritage Month spanned throughout the whole of July 2026. 

The tour, one of the flagship events of the 2026 Ahanta Heritage Month celebrations, brought together ambassadors, traditional leaders, heritage enthusiasts, and a vibrant contingent of students and young people from schools across the Ahanta West Municipality. 

The intergenerational and multicultural gathering transformed the excursion into a powerful journey of remembrance, education and cultural diplomacy.

Organised by the Member of Parliament for Ahanta West, Mavis Kuukua Bissue, the carefully curated itinerary took participants to the historic Fort Gross Friedrichsburg at Princes Town, the iconic Cape Three Points, and Fort Batenstein in Butre before concluding with a courtesy call on the Chief of Butre at his palace.

The tour began at Fort Gross Friedrichsburg, one of the least-known but most historically significant European forts on Ghana’s coastline.

 Constructed in the late seventeenth century by the Brandenburg African Company, the imposing fortress remains one of the few colonial forts on the Gold Coast built by a German state, rather than the Portuguese, Dutch or British powers that dominated much of the coast. 

Perched majestically above Princes Town, the fort offers sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and stands as a silent witness to centuries of trade, diplomacy and conflict.

From Princes Town, the delegation travelled to Cape Three Points, mainland Ghana’s southernmost tip, where participants enjoyed panoramic views from the historic lighthouse while taking refreshments against the breathtaking backdrop of the Gulf of Guinea.

 Renowned for its dramatic coastline, pristine rainforest and maritime significance, the location offered visitors a glimpse into the natural landscape that shaped centuries of seafaring and commerce along Ghana’s western coast.

The final stop carried profound historical symbolism. At Fort Batenstein in Butre, visitors explored the former administrative headquarters from which Dutch colonial authorities managed their relations with the Ahanta Kingdom.

 The fort remains forever linked to one of the defining moments in Ahanta history, the resistance and subsequent execution of Otumfuo Nana Badu Bonsu II in 1838. 

The delegation concluded its visit with a traditional courtesy call on the Chief of Butre, honouring the customs of the historic Ahanta state.

The heritage tour attracted an impressive international delegation, highlighting growing global interest in Ghana’s historical role in the transatlantic slave trade and its enduring connections with the African diaspora.

Among the distinguished participants were Barbados’ High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E. Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland, Suriname’s Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Fidelia Graand-Galon, and UNESCO’s Representative to Ghana, Edmond Moukala N’Gouemo, whose organisation continues to champion the preservation of Ghana’s forts and castles as World Heritage Sites and enduring symbols of shared human history.

Also joining the delegation was the Divisional Chief of Agona, together with heritage officials who guided participants through the historical significance of each location.

Interwoven with the diplomatic delegation were busloads of schoolchildren, students and youth from the Ahanta West Municipality, many visiting the forts for the very first time as well as members of Ghana’s international community. 

Their participation underscored the organisers’ commitment to making heritage education accessible to younger generations while fostering greater cross-cultural understanding.

The sequence of destinations was deliberately designed to tell the complete story of Ahanta’s engagement with European powers from the establishment of fortified trading posts in the seventeenth century, through the strategic maritime importance of Cape Three Points, to the tragic events surrounding the resistance of Nana Badu Bonsu II at Butre.

The tour also served as a prelude to the unveiling of a bronze statue in honour of the revered Ahanta king at Agona Nkwanta the following day, providing visiting dignitaries with valuable historical context before participating in the official commemorative ceremonies.

For Mavis Kuukua Bissue, the driving force behind the Ahanta Heritage Month initiative, the heritage tour represents a broader vision of repositioning Ahanta West as one of Ghana’s premier heritage tourism destinations.

By showcasing the municipality’s remarkable collection of European forts alongside globally recognised sites such as Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, the initiative seeks not only to preserve an important chapter of Ghana’s history but also to strengthen cultural and historical ties with nations across the African diaspora whose stories remain inseparably linked to this historic coastline.