The French Embassy in Accra has renovated and transformed a library built in 1974 into a Community Museum for the people of Begho in the Tain District of the Bono region.
The museum, which is under the Begho Area Archaeological Project (BAAP), contains remains recovered from the second century AD to the mid-18th century AD and includes artifacts such as ancestral bowls, clay crucibles, smoking pipes, spindle whorls, metallurgical implements and ceramic vessels.
There are other prehistoric artefacts such as micro-lithic tools, stones axes, and rasps all recovered from Mumute site in the area which dates to 1500 BC at the museum.
Speaking at a durbar of the chiefs and people of Hani during the inauguration of the museum, a lecturer at the Archaeology and Heritage Studies faculty at the University of Ghana, Mr Daniel Kumah, observed that the Bono region has several archaeological and tourist attraction sites including; Bono-Manso and Kunsu Slave routes which could be developed to enhance eco-tourism.
On her part, the Bono Regional Minister, Madam Justina Owusu-Banahene, lauded France’s tremendous support towards building Ghana’s indigenous rich cultural heritage and enhancing the nation’s tourism industry as well.
She said “culture depicts the true identity of indigenous Ghanaians”, and noted that the government appreciates the support from France in helping to portray the true indigenous culture of the Ghanaian people.
Madam Owusu Banahene said Ghana has diverse rich and interesting cultural heritages that could be harnessed to push rapid socio-economic development, but regretted such indigenous culture that reflects the true identity of the people remains in the shadows.
She, therefore, called on traditional rulers to revisit the ancient storytelling approach to resuscitate tradition and culture, and help instill in young people indigenous Ghanaian moral values as well.
Madam Owusu Banahene expressed concern about moral decadence among the youth and attributed the menace partly to the adulteration of foreign cultures,
The regional minister therefore called for re-introduction of tradition and culture into basic school curricula to promote and project the nation’s diverse and rich cultural heritage.
The Ashanti Regional Director of Ghana Museum, Mr Francis Kwaragyire, expressed concern about lack of resources impeding the work of the Ghana Museum, and called on the media to highlight and promote the culture of the people to attract investment into the sector.
According to him, successive governments have failed to recognise and invest in the development of archaeological sites, saying “it would be difficult for us as a nation to develop if we don’t know and cherish our true identity”.
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