2ND EDITION OF ADEKYEM FESTIVAL WAS LAUNCHED IN THE TANO SOUTH DISTRICT,BECHEM

The 2^nd edition of the Adekyem festival which was launched by the chiefs and people of Bechem Traditional Area to establish an education fund to cater for the needy and brilliant children entering into second cycle institutions.

In his welcome address, Nana Fosu Gyeabour II, Omanhene of  Bechem Traditional area and president of the Bechem Traditional council who chaired the function  said the name Bechem was derived from the word share since the Ashanti’s  booties gained was shared there when the Ashantis were returning to their place from the Brong Ahafo Region.

Nana Fosu Gyeabour Akoto II, said festivals are celebrated to rekindle the rich cultural heritage of the people of the area and also to bring citizens together as a home coming and also as a tool of bringing development to the area. Nana Gyeabour  hinted that the Traditional councils in the process of establishing palm oil factory at Bechem and as such a factory  the building is almost 80% complete whilst machinery for the factory which was built by the Rural Technology Facility at Bechem is ready for installation  when the building is completed. Nana said this venture had become possible due to the oil palm plantation established in Bechem under the President Special Initiative since fruits derived from the plantation had to be sent to Juaben for extraction factory established there.

In his address, the Tano South District Chief Executive Hon. Bukari  Zakari  Anaba congratulated Nananom for the foresight in instituting the Adekyem festival since it had gone a long way to bring development in the area.

Hon. Anaba said though the District Assembly had instituted a scholarship package to boost education in the area and the establishment of the Atanofo Educational fund established under the auspices of the Adekyem festival planning committee had also gone a long to help the needy but brilliant children in the Traditional area. The District Chief Executive hinted that the district assembly would also do all it can to help the investors who are willing to invest  in burnt bricks, pot and earthenware on the clay deposits found in the area.

Hon. Anaba charged the people to take advantage of the rural technology facility and acquire basic machinery which will help them in their various fields.

The secretary to the education fund Mr. Yaw  Adu  Gyamfi in a report said 27 children have benefited from the scholarship package since the establishment of the fund for the 2011-2012 academic year and hoped a good number of children would be helped in the ensuring years. Mr. Adu Gyamfi hinted that the beneficiary children would be helped through the second cycle school to the tertiary level and charged the people to embrace the idea and contribute genuinely to the fund.

The Deputy Brong Ahafo Regional Minister Hon. Justice Samuel Adjei said celebrations of festivals in the country is an essential part of our culture and admittedly festivals are also very important occasions, because of the political, social, economical, moral and religious significant they impact on the people.

Hon. Adjei said government recognizes and appreciate Nananom as custodians of our culture, customs and traditions and the institution of festivals through the kind of leadership of Nananom often times serve as an eye opener which enable both the indigenous of place and foreigners who visit such occasions to know more about the culture and history of the celebrating the festival.

The Deputy Regional Minister used the occasion to admonish the youth to always aspire to be patient, disciplined, diligent and hardworking and also learn to accord respect to Nananom and the elderly in the various communities and desist from taking the law into their own hands but learn to always communicate their issues and grievances through the appropriate channels and institution in their various communities for their amicable settlement or redress.

The Deputy Minister pleaded that Nananom will always be there to provide the people with good leadership skills and advice in times of difficult situations and hoped Nananom will continue with the relentless efforts, towards the amicable resolution of the numerous chieftaincy and land disputes that threatening the peace and unity of the people of the region.

Hon. Adjei said today’s occasion should therefore remind us of the chords of unity, love, tolerance and brotherliness that exist among our forebears.

Hon. Adjei said he found the theme for the celebration “Adekyem Festival as a tool for the social economic development of  Bechem Traditional Area” very important and a positive event which should be given all the support it deserves to make it a reality and duly launched the festival.