By Hafsa Obeng, GNA
Accra, Aug. 2, GNA – Mr. Mark Okraku – Mantey, the Deputy Minister of Tourism, Arts and Culture, has urged Africans to deepen their resolve to fight against any form of oppression and injustice existing in their communities.
He said the specter of violence occurring in some parts of the continent as a result of religious extremism and the limitation of state constitutions reinforce prejudices against the African.
“Psychological re-orientation must be stepped up among Africans to eschew the inferiority complex that engulfed our thinking, and at the same time, we must refuse to accept any form of slavery,” he added.
Mr Okraku – Mantey made this observation at the 2022 Emancipation Day Celebrations at Assin Manso on the theme: “Our heritage, our strength” and sub-themed “re-engaging to consolidate our developmental agenda”.
He said though the celebration of Emancipation originated from the Caribbean in 1834, Ghana started celebrating it since 1998, and since then, the venue for the celebration had been carefully selected to showcase the many relics of the inhuman Slave Trade.
He said one of the major objectives of the Emancipation Day celebrations was to reconnect fellow brothers and sisters in the diaspora to the motherland to help in its development while exploring numerous opportunities.
He said the Ministry envisaged to bring to the fore the truth about the history of Africans and the experiences of its people using the vehicle of African Arts and Culture, providing a forum to promote unity between Africans on the Continent and in the Diaspora and affirming the common heritage of African people the world over.
The Deputy Sector Minister said, in the Ministry’s quest to develop sustainable tourism pivoted on Ghanaian arts and culture as a key driver to economic development, a conducive and enabling environment has been put in place to ensure the sustainability through its flagship programmes.
“Government is championing several developmental agenda in the various sectors of the economy, including the Tourism
Sector which is the fourth foreign exchange earner for the Country to create jobs, especially for the youth, generate income and create wealth as well as increase arrivals in the Tourism Sector.”
He gave the assurance that the Ministry would continue to collaborate with the District Assemblies, Traditional Authorities, and the Private Sector to boost visitation, generate revenue and create employment opportunities for the youth and indigenes in the area to eventually lead to overall development of the area.
Madam Walla Elsheikh said Africans could achieve full emancipation, by coming together to reclaim its heritage and uncover its greatness.
“It is our birthright to bring our continent back to the glory it once was before enslavement and colonization.”
She said it was also recognizing and fostering the unity between the diaspora and the continent, saying the focus must be the young African diaspora to connect them early to their heritage.
Madam Elsheikh said it was the birthright of Africans to bring their continent back to the glory it once was before enslavement and colonization.
She said, “it is indeed our pride and confidence in our heritage, that we believe will give us the strength to not only pursue, and persist, but also fulfill on our leadership and entrepreneurial aspirations.”
“Our strength, our hope, and our liberation is one in which we find ourselves part of a global black community. It is through community and a collective energy of togetherness that the highest aspirations manifest, including our development agenda for the continent.”
Mr Akwasi Agyeman, the Chief Executive Officer, Ghana Tourism Authority, said next year would be 25 years since the celebration of Emancipation Day began and assured Ghanaians and diasporans of a massive celebration next year.
Some activities that preceded the grand durbar included a health walk, masquerade show, reverential night, candlelight night, musical show, and healing ceremony, among others.
GNA
