Togbe Afede XIV, the Agbogbomefia of Asogli, has apologised to participants of the Volta Economic Forum for the delayed start of the programme, which began about one hour and 40 minutes behind schedule.

The Forum, one of the activities marking this year’s Asogli Te Za celebrations, was scheduled to begin earlier, but the delay became a subject of discussion among participants and guests gathered for the event.

Some invited guests arrived after 1000 hours, contributing to the delayed commencement of the programme and prompting renewed conversations about the persistent practice of late starts at major public events.

Togbe Afede, addressing the gathering, expressed regret over the delay and apologised to participants for the inconvenience caused by the late start of the Forum.

He said the situation called for a change in attitude towards time, stressing the need for individuals and organisations to attach greater value to punctuality, particularly when attending important programmes.

The Agbogbomefia noted that the popular adage that “time is money” appeared to have lost some of its practical value in the current dispensation, where delays had increasingly become accepted at public functions.

He therefore urged the public to move away from the expression “African time” and develop a culture that respected agreed times for meetings, ceremonies and other important engagements.

Togbe Afede said punctuality was essential for productivity, accountability and efficient use of time, urging organisers, invited guests and participants to collectively work towards ending the culture of late starts at major programmes.