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Security assured at Odwira festival – MCE
Barima Awua Sarpong Asiedu Larbi
The Akuapem North Municipal Chief Execu¬tive (MCE), Barima Awua Sarpong Asiedu Larbi has stat¬ed that adequate measures had been taken to ensure a peaceful celebration of the Odwira Festival.
The festival which will begin on September 25 and end on the October 1, 2023 is celebrated by the chiefs and people of Akuapem.
Mr Asiedu”s made this prom¬ise at the parading of Odehye Kwasi Akuffu popularly Known as Joe Ferrel as the Paramount Chief of Akuapem during the funeral of the late Odehye Gladys Abena Otema Ohene at Akropong last Saturday.
At the funeral, Odehye Akoffu who was dressed in the costume of an omanhene danced to traditional music, after which he spoke to the mourners, proclaiming himself as the Okuapemhene.
His speech led to confu¬sion between his followers and those of the Oseadeoyo Kwasi Akuffu III, the gazetted Okuapemhene who would be presiding over the Odwira festival for the first time in six years.
The timely intervention of the police, however restored order.
After an emergency mu¬nicipal security committee meeting, on August 15, Barima Asiedu Larbi told the press that although calm has been restored, all the necessary security measures had been taken to ensure a peaceful celebration of the Odwira festival.
He, therefore, urged all Akuapems in the diaspora to embark on a homeward journey to join relatives and friends to celebrate the fes¬tival during which Oseadeoyo Kwasi Akuffu III would be climbing into the Palanquin for the first time in six years.
“We have handled security issues very well to maintain peace, although we have spent over GH¢2million on it in the past few years which should have gone into the provision of social amenities for the people.
“l, however, believe that the current peaceful atmo¬sphere will continue to enable the assembly utilise its finan¬cial resources on infrastructur¬al amenities,” the MCE stated.
The Diaspora Affairs Office at the Office of the President has hosted a delegation of African diaspora women who are in Ghana ahead of a planned Presidential Conferment of Citizenship ceremony.
The Director of Diaspora Affairs, Kofi Okyere Darko, explained in a Facebook post that the visit was a gesture of appreciation by the delegation to the Government of Ghana for its continued efforts to reconnect Africans in the diaspora with their ancestral homeland.
He indicated that the ceremony, scheduled for next Monday, will officially grant Ghanaian citizenship to members of the delegation as part of the country’s broader engagement with the African diaspora.
The delegation was led by Erica Bennett, Founder of the Diaspora Africa Forum.
According to Mr Okyere Darko, her years of advocacy have played an important role in strengthening ties between Africa and people of African descent living abroad.
He noted that the group’s journey towards citizenship represents not only a legal process but also a cultural and spiritual return to their roots.
Also present at the meeting was Natalie Jackson, an attorney who is also expected to receive Ghanaian citizenship during the ceremony. She works closely with renowned civil rights lawyer Ben Crump.
Mr Okyere Darko emphasised that Ghana remains committed to strengthening relationships with the African diaspora and promoting unity, identity, and shared heritage among people of African descent worldwide.
By: Jacob Aggrey
Ghana Tourism Authority is leading Ghana’s participation at ITB Berlin, which opened in Berlin with a vibrant national pavilion highlighting Ghana’s rich cultural heritage, tourism destinations and investment opportunities.
March 5 has been designated as Ghana Day, a special platform to promote Ghana’s languages, cuisine, Kente, festivals and business prospects to the global tourism community. The stand has already drawn strong interest with traditional arts and crafts displays, immersive multimedia presentations and popular Ghanaian snacks.
Seven private-sector players are exhibiting alongside government officials as part of efforts to deepen trade partnerships, expand market access, and attract investment across the hospitality, heritage tourism, ecotourism, and creative arts sectors.
Ahead of the official opening, the Ghana delegation also engaged young Ghanaian investors in Germany in collaboration with V Afrika-Verein and the Ghana Embassy, strengthening diaspora investment linkages and highlighting opportunities within the tourism value chain.
Ghana’s coordinated presence at ITB Berlin 2026 reinforces its strategy to position the country as the Gateway to Africa and a competitive destination for leisure travel and global investment.
