From Ishaque Agyei
The Omanhene of Edina Traditional Area, Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, has appealed to the government to enforce the Communal Labour Act for citizens to take active part in cleaning their various communities and also impose heavy punishment for offenders to serve as a deterrent.
He said even though most residents in the Edina community had embraced the communal labour spirit, others were recalcitrant and play passive roles in communal labour organised by the youth and chiefs in the community.
Nana Conduah VI noted that total development could be achieved when the people are clean and healthy, and that it was essential for the residents to maintain a clean environment to avoid diseases such as cholera and malaria.
The Omanhene, who said these at the launching of 2015 Edina Bronya at Elmina in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abirem Municipality, assured the people that the festival would be a memorable and exciting one, since the whole community would be involved in the preparation and execution of all traditional rites.
He lamented that since 2009, funds from museums and monuments that were used by the Traditional Council to support needy but brilliant students had been discontinued, and therefore, appealed for it to be restored.
Nana Conduah stressed that development was not all about roads and high rise buildings, but also trained manpower of society, and for that reason, appealed to parents to take a keen interest in educating their children.
He regretted the current situation, where several ghettos had been illegally established in the Elmina township, and where most of the youth indulged in taking hard liquor and illicit drugs.
He appealed to the police to clamp down on these sites, to save the youth from destroying their lives.
Nana Conduah VI used the occasion to commend the residents for their co-operation, tolerance and peaceful nature, adding that they should all embrace peace for the community, since it was priceless.
On his part, the 2012 presidential candidate for Progressive Peoples Party, who was also conferred Development Chief of Elmina ‘Mpuntuhen’, Dr. Paa Kwesi Nduom, called on the people to maintain a high sense of morality in the community, since the cause of cholera and other communicable diseases were as a result of unclean environments, and advised them to eschew the dumping refuse at inappropriate places
He assured the community that there were more projects in the pipeline, but that he also wanted to see a cleaner environment.
This festival is a novel Christmas introduced to the people of Elmina during the Dutch era of the colonial period. The period coincides with the Dutch Festival, which falls on the first Thursday of January every year, and marked in Elmina to signify the bond of friendship between the Dutch and the people of Elmina.
A fish-catching ritual is performed at the banks of the Benya Lagoon by the Asafo companies in their full regalia.
The Paramount Chief and his retinue are present at the banks, and musketry is fired. On the eve of the festival, the Paramount Chief climbs up Fort St. Jago and fires shots at midnight to usher in the New Year.
The Paramount Chief rides in a Palanquin the next day to pay homage to the various clans.
The Paramount Chief and his elders converge in front of Elmina Castle where a sheep is slaughtered, with merry making, drumming and dancing throughout.