By Joyce Amenyah, GNA
Accra, Oct. 29, GNA – Forty institutions and individuals have been given awards under the second edition of Akro Excellence Awards 2018 for their sacrifices and selfless contributions to society on the theme: “A toast to the Patriots.”
The chiefs and people of Teshie in collaboration with their development partners instituted the Akro Excellence Awards to acknowledge and honour hard-working natives of international acclaim, who have kept the flag of Teshie and the GaDangme communities aloft in the comity of nations.
It was intended to foster the spirit of patriotism and to develop a cadre corps of enlightened and dedicated GaDangme men and women who will lead the crusade for the promotion and preservation of GaDangme language, culture and general development.
The awards ranges from arts and entertainment, trade and industry, academic excellence, outstanding sports personality, community development activist, media excellence, outstanding senior citizens, and Akomfra Awards.
Madam Catherine Ablema Afeku, the Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture in an address congratulated the chiefs and people of Teshie for creating an innovative platform to acknowledge and celebrate the noteworthy contributions and exceptional work of GaDangme personalities and corporate entities.
She also commended the award winners for their brilliant career achievements and meritorious service to humanity.
Madam Afeku said contemporary discourse on productivity and development suggested that when individuals realised that their contributions, sacrifice, and efforts were being valued and held in high esteem by their respective societies, there was a massive boost to their egos and personal satisfaction leading to a stronger resolve to raise the bar of excellence to further eights.
“Therefore, I find the decision by the chiefs and people to formally acknowledge and celebrate the noteworthy contributions and exceptional work of individuals and corporate bodies within the GaDangme as encouraging and worth of emulation,” she said.
The Minister applauded the people of Teshie for a relatively peaceful and incident-free Homowo Festival this year, saying; “it is my fervent hope that every progressive and peace-loving citizen will join the peace train in the forward march to recapture the lost pride of place of Teshie in the comity of GaDangme towns.”
Madam Afeku said conflicts engendered a myriad of destructive dynamics including; poverty, under-development, polarisation of the society and social exclusion of the underprivileged with women and children being the most vulnerable targets.
She therefore appealed for the end of the endemic chieftaincy dispute that had bedevilled most of the traditional areas of the country.
Gbetsoolo Nii Ashitey Akomfra III, the Teshie Mantse said a document by UNESCO entitled “Language vitality and endangerment” had described the GaDangme language situation as obtained now in the Greater Accra communities, “as a prelude to the extinction of our distinct language and cultural heritage as well as our identity as Ga-Dangme people.”
He said: “As traditional leaders we must devise innovative ways and means to address this critical challenge to our existence as one people with a common destiny.”
Gbetsoolo Akomfra said their unique survival as GaDangme people with a common identity had come under a serious attack in recent times by activities of “conflict entrepreneurs within our communities.
“Indeed, hardly ever does a week pass in Ghana without news of the eruption of violent conflict in one or more of the traditional areas of the country as a result of land litigation or chieftaincy dispute and the Greater Accra Region has not been spared its ugly share of these violent and pervasive chieftaincy conflicts.”
He said: “As a result of the senseless and destructive succession disputes, we as GaDangme people are gradually losing our inalienable rights to ministerial appointments, membership of governing boards and corporations, royalties from prime lands and concessions or even the requisite quotas of market tolls in our areas of jurisdiction.”
Gbetsoolo Akomfra said the last and the most tragic of all the GaDangme woes was the failure of the citizenry to acknowledge their heroes, hence the institution of the Akro Excellence Awards to motivate individuals and institutions to do more for the society.
Among the awardees were two veteran GaDangme icons, Mr Ebenezer Lartey, popularly known as Ataa Mensah of the Adabraka Drama Troupe fame and Mr David Kotei Poison, the first Ghanaian to win a World Boxing title.
GNA
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