The Manya Krobo Traditional Council has launched the 2023 edition of the Ngmayem festival on the theme “Development in unity: reviving patriotism through unification.”

The commemorative launch which was held at the Volta River Authority (VRA) Club House at Akuse in the Eastern Region on Thursday saw an array of dignitaries including traditional and political leaders gracing the colourful occasion, setting the stage for what promises to be a showcase of the rich culture of the Krobo people.

In a speech read on behalf of The Konor of Manya Krobo, Nene Sakite II, Djasetse of the Manya Krobo Paramountcy, Nene Kpabitey Kwao III underscored the relevance of the theme for the celebration.

“The journey to our development starts with unity. Let us embrace the theme with open hearts and minds and come together as a collective force to propel the Manya Krobo state to greater heights. Our strength lies in our ability to set aside our differences, build bridges, and work hand in hand for the betterment of our community,” Dajsetse Kwao III noted.

He said, “The Ngmayem Festival was instituted by our forebears to celebrate the bountiful harvest of 'Ngma' (Millet) as our cherished staple food.”

According to him, the celebration was therefore more than just a mere gathering as it reflected the unity, resilience, and strength that came from working together and towards achieving common goals as a people.

“Let us take a cue from this and rekindle that same spirit of unity, patriotism, and collaboration to help propel Krobo land to higher heights,” he emphasised.

Deputy Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mark Okraku Mante who represented the Minister and launched the festival lauded the people of Manya Krobo for the continuous projection of the unmistakably colourful Krobo culture and urged them to continue forging on in unity.

“What we are doing today is very important to the government. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s government wants to make tourism the number one contributor to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

"At the moment it is the number three contributor. If this target must be achieved, we will need our rich and colourful traditional festivals like Ngamyem to make it a reality,” he said.  

Touching on the theme for the celebration, he noted that before any tourist visits any country the first thing on the checklist that is ticked is how peaceful the country is.

He added that “Ghana is number three in Africa in terms of peace and so it means that every region, traditional area, district, constituency or locality must be experiencing a degree of peace to help sell out tourism to foreigners.”

He urged the chiefs to use the festival as an opportunity to sell the peace agenda to the people.

“…any country without peace cannot enjoy money from tourism and every area that does not have peace cannot develop either,” he emphasized.

Member of Parliament for the Upper Manya Krobo Constituency, Bismark Tetteh Nyarko, who also graced the occasion added his voice to the clarion call for unity.

He said, “ …we have always been united as a people, driven by a common goal for progress and development. The onus is therefore on us now to continue the good works of our forebears to help make Manya Krobo great.”