President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has vowed to make sure that the 2024 Basic Election is clear, free and truthful and with out violence.
He has, subsequently, cautioned parts plotting to foment hassle within the election to rethink their motion, stressing that he wouldn’t countenance any act of violence.
The President made the remarks when he joined the chiefs and folks of Elmina on the Benya Lagoon for the rituals to formally start this 12 months’s Bakatue Pageant.
The ritual symbolises the religious lifting of the ban on fishing within the lagoon, Bakatue.
It’s marked on the primary Tuesday of July, precisely a month after the standard authorities imposed the ban.
The Bakatue Pageant is widely known to supply prayers of appreciation to the gods and ask for a very good fishing 12 months.
This 12 months’s pageant is on the theme: “Patronising made in Ghana items and providers to reinforce financial improvement: The function of the individuals of Anomansa.”
President Akufo-Addo noticed that Ghana was recognised globally as a beacon of democracy and urged all residents to guard that legacy by collectively and actively guaranteeing a peaceable election.
“We’re going to elect a pacesetter; we’re not going to conflict. I need them to know that my authorities won’t permit any nation wrecker to plunge this nation right into a state of conflict and anarchy due to the election,” he said.
“The election will probably be clear and truthful such that the decision will probably be accepted by all, no matter who wins or loses,” he added.
President Akufo-Addo’s participation in Tuesday’s rituals is the primary by any Ghanaian President, making his go to historic.
He and his entourage have been handled to a spirited regatta and stunts by enthusiastic native fishermen, whereas varied ladies teams dressed colourfully sang conventional songs and danced in massive canoes criss-crossing each other on the lagoon.
Like yearly, the financial institution of the lagoon was akin to a stadium internet hosting a World Cup closing as lots of of ecstatic individuals, together with vacationers and revellers, converged to witness the heart-warming celebration.
President Akufo-Addo described Bakatue as the most effective festivals in Ghana and counseled the chiefs and folks of Elmina for safeguarding and bettering upon their cultural heritage.
The President famous that he had been truthful and trustworthy with the individuals of Elmina with regard to improvement, citing the Elmina Fishing Harbour as a significant mission.
He, subsequently, expressed disappointment over the repeated rejection of the New Patriotic Celebration (NPP)’s parliamentary candidates within the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem.
He appealed to them to vote for the NPP candidate within the upcoming election.
Responding to some appeals made by the Omanhen of the Edina Conventional Space, Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, the President made a promise to desilt the choked Benya Lagoon and personally give the Edinaman Senior Excessive College a bus.
He was, nevertheless, cautious about making a promise to carry the ban on the transhipment of fish at sea from industrial trawlers to native canoes, popularly referred to as Saiko.
He noticed that the Ministry of Fisheries was averse to the follow however promised to have interaction the sector minister on in it,anyway.
“We are going to contemplate your enchantment for a fund to help festivals in Ghana,” he additionally added.
Nana Conduah had early on expressed gratitude to the President for paying particular consideration to Elmina with regard to improvement however tabled earlier than him just a few different requests for pressing consideration.
He had appealed to the President to assist them dredge their closely silted lagoon because it was a significant supply of livelihood for them.
He additionally repeated his enchantment for a faculty bus for the Edinaman Secondary College to assist transport the scholars.
The Omanhen additionally drew President Akufo-Addo’s consideration to a defect on the fishing harbour, which was making it troublesome for them to obtain massive boats and pleaded with him to have it fastened.
He introduced up the vexed situation of Saiko once more and implored the President to rethink the ban on the follow as a result of many indigenes relied on it.
Nana Conduah additionally requested a share of the income generated by the Elmina Fort to fund training and undertake different developmental tasks.
“Pageant is a enterprise, which stimulates the native economic system. However the issue is that we wrestle to organise the festivals as a result of we lack enough funds and sponsorship,” he complained.
“I’m, subsequently, interesting to you for a particular fund to sponsor festivals within the nation,” he added.