Elmina — The chiefs and people of the Edina Traditional Area in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo- Abrem (KEEA) Municipality of the Central Region have climaxed their celebration of this year's Bakatue festival with a durbar.
This year's festival was on the theme: 'Buy made-in-Ghana goods and use made-in-Ghana products and support Ghanaian industries and create employment for the youth.'
Demonstrating a unique culture and tradition of the people, the colourful durbar of chiefs interspersed with Asafo dance, attracted a number of people across the country and the world.
The Paramount Chief of the Edina Traditional Area, Nana Kwadwo Conduah VI, in his address, expressed appreciation to the ancestors and residents of the area, and for their support during his 25 years reign as the traditional leader of the town.
He also expressed appreciation to the government for the construction of the Elmina Fishing Habour, noting that it would boost economic activity in the area.
He indicated that, appeals for the construction of the habour started decades ago before his nomination and enstoolment as a Paramount Chief for the Edina Traditional Area, but those pleas never materialised until recently when the current Nana Akufo-Addo administration made it a reality.
He however, appealed to the government to facilitate the dredging of the Brenya Lagoon at Elmina to complement the construction of the fishing habour at Elmina to boost the tourism and fishing potential of the area.
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The lagoon which had become silted, he explained, overflows into adjoining homes whenever there was an increase of sea water into the lagoon, as a result of tidal wave on a regular basis.
Nana Kwadwo Conduah VI, further appealed to the government for a review of law on transshipment also known as "saiko" due to its immense benefit to the local economy of fishing communities.
He said, people involved in saiko only receive and prevent fishing vessels from throwing the unwanted fish catch back into the sea.
"People involved in saiko, are savers of the sea and they do not contribute to the destruction of the sea resource."
He tasked the Komenda-Edina- Eguafo-Abrem (KEEA) Municipal Assembly to collaborate with the Edina Traditional Council in the issuance of permit for the allocation of spots for kiosks and other facilities in the town.
That, he said would further prevent all forms of unplanned developments in the traditional area and to make the area the preferred tourism destination in the country.
He also asked for the provision of a school bus to the Edinaman Secondary School to facilitate academic learning among the students.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Lottery Authority (NLA), Sammi Awuku, who represented the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in an address, appealed to corporate bodies and individuals to partner with government in the provision of employment opportunities for the youth.
The government, he explained, through the YouStart programme being championed entrepreneurship for many young people who want to venture into entrepreneurship.
On the dredging of the Benya lagoon, he said the appeal would be forwarded to the government for the needed attention.
