TEMA CHIEFS, PEOPLE MARK 'HOMOWO' (PAGE 20)

THE Chiefs, Elders and people of Tema celebrated their annual Homowo festival on Saturday.
The festival, which was described as tension-free for the first time in many years, was highly patronised by the natives, other residents and others from other parts of the country.
It was celebrated amidst the sprinkling of the traditional food, Kpoikpoi, in the Manhean township, singing, dancing and firing of musketry.
Tema Manhean was all red as the people were clad in red to signify the war against hunger and the seriousness with which they fought against it.
Chiefs, elders and people from the Tema divisional stool areas, made up of Kubekro , Sasabi, Adjei Kojo, Adegon, Ashaiman, Zenu and Sakumono, paid homage to the Tema Mantse Nii Adjei Kraku II, and provided drinks and cash to support the festival.
There were stool elders from Winneba and Gbugblan Ablewonkor, who also paid homage to the Tema Stool and extended traditional greetings from their traditional councils to the chiefs and people of Tema.
Nii Adjei Kraku expressed his appreciation for the support given by the people of Tema and beyond, noting that peace was the most important ingredient in the development of the people.
He called on the people of Tema to unite and eliminate all unhealthy situations to forge ahead for development in peace.
He appealed to citizens to take advantage of the free education and send their children to school.
He was of the view that education formed the basis of civilisation, understanding and vision for development.
The chief noted that after almost 50 years of their re-settlement in the Manhean township to pave the way for the construction of the harbour and a modern township in 1959, there had been some improvement in the lives of the people but said a lot needed to be done.
He explained that the people had access to landing beaches and were not disturbed at sea before they were re-settled, noting that unfortunately, all these rights had been taken away from them.
Nii Adjei Kraku said bigger foreign vessels had been introduced in the fishing industry and they had succeeded in bullying and over-shadowing the small boats at sea, noting that the boats were the only means the indigenous people had and so life had become difficult for them to cope with.
He said also that since the beaches were developed into the harbour, the fisherfolks could hardly have places to even mend their nets.
He appealed to the government to consider the plight of the people of Tema Manhean and extend some support in the form of loans to enable them to purchase bigger boats for their business.
He said the Traditional Council had plans to start some development projects in Manhean, including a market, to satisfy the needs of the citizens.
On Elections Nii Adjei Kraku congratulated the people of Tema Manhean on not fomenting any troubles during the registration period and urged them to continue to be law-abiding.
He appealed to politicians to see themselves as Ghanaians more than their interests and therefore polish their language to preach peace rather than fire.
He observed that some utterances could disorganise the country and thwart government efforts at building a just society and therefore called on them to change their attitudes for the best.
Nii Adjei Kraku appealed for support for the Tema General Hospital, which, he said, needed to be given a modern outlook.
Presently, the mortuary at the hospital, he said, could not function well and that the space provided for out-patients could not contain the ever-increasing number of patients.
He said the Ministry of Health must include the Tema General Hospital on its list of health centres which needed help because of its strategic position and support to the nation as a whole .
As part of the line-up of activities marking the celebration, Nii Adjei Kraku on Sunday visited all the 22 clan houses in Tema Manhean to greet the elders and present gifts to them to wish them long life , peace and untiy.
Football matches were scheduled for the youth of 21 clan houses and the winner will lift a trophy donated by the Tema East Convention People People (CPP) parliamentary candidate, Mr Richter Armaah.