Akpinifiaga Dagadu IX Celebrates Afenorto Festival With The Chiefs And People Of Mepe
The 66th edition of the Apenorto Festival has been launched in Mepe in the North Tongu District in the Volta region couple of weeks ago.
The event saw indigenes and visitors throng the durbar in a colourful and a grand style. The theme for the year’s celebration is TVET education, Our Future.
In an address delivered by the MP of the North Tongu constituency, Hon. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, he emphasised on the need to embrace Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) since that is the wheel to national development. He also spoke on some educational achievements in the Mepe traditional area and North Tongu District. He therefore, encouraged the youth to desist from the use of alcohol and drugs.
The large number of youths engaging in alcohol and drugs is worrying since they are the future leaders and how can the nation be left in the hands of addicts?
Also in attendance is Akpinifiaga Okpekpewuokpe Dagadu IX, paramount chief of the Akpini traditional area-Kpando.
As a special guest for the occasion the traditional ruler and his entourage were given an overwhelming welcome to the occasion.
Read on: Akpinifia Okpekpewuokpe Dagadu IX Pays Courtesy Call on German Ambassador to Reinstitute Akpini Royal Regalia
In a speech delivered by the King of the Akpini state, Akpinifiaga Okpekpewuokpe Dagadu IX spoke about the fraternal relationship between the Akpini state and the people of Mepe.
He also encouraged the youth of Mepe to uphold education and to cooperate with the chiefs and elders in developing the area. He asked the people of Kpando to support him since ideas are being put together for the grand and final funeral rites of his predecessor is in the pipeline as he is still mourning and also promised to bring back the lost Akpini festival Danyibakaka.
The outspoken and the Great Lion of the Akpini state, highly educated and the passionate leader is very concern of the lost glory of the long known Akpini Kingdom. He has this to say in his speech during the festival.
Speech delivered by Okpekpewuokpe Dagadu IX, Paramount Chief of Akpini, on the occasion of the Celebration of the 66th Mepe Afenorto Festival by the people Mepe, under the theme “Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) our Future: Development in Peace our Cultural Heritage.”
“The Chairman, State Officials, Togbuiwo, Mamawo, Leaders of Various Groups present, Members of the Media, Ladies and Gentlemen. I first of all extend to you all warm felicitations from the Akpini state paramountcy. I am deeply honored to be here at this important celebration as special guest.”
“I am here to lend my support to the chiefs and people of Mepe to celebrate the 66th Afenorto Festival, and also associate myself with efforts to galvanize support for the development of a TVET institution. For me, this initiative could not have come at better time considering the poor state of Ghana’s skills development setup and the high level of unemployment among the able-bodied youth. My research reveals that, no country ever succeeded in the quest for industrial development without a comprehensive agenda to develop its skills base.”
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“The case of South Eastern Asia and other parts of Europe emphasizes the crucial role skills development plays in any industrial revolution. This belief is well amplified in the vision, development plans and rhetoric of successive governments in Ghana. Ensuring the prioritization of TVET (skills training and skills development) in the formal and informal sectors of our economy is a sure way to ensure our youth grow up with employable and self-sustaining skills to create jobs. It is therefore apt for the people of Mepe to link this to their cultural heritage.”
“The role of TVET in sustainable development and judicious use of a nation’s resources can also not be overemphasized. TVET has a central role to play if we are to make good progress towards the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. TVET has emerged as one of the most effective human resource development strategies that any country needs to embrace in order to train and modernize their technical workforce for rapid industrialization and national development. A skilled workforce is a basic requirement for driving the engine of industrial and economic growth. In spite of its numerous advantages to the nation and her people, TVET implementation continues to be fraught with numerous challenges. There is the need for clarity on sponsorship of TVET programmes by the government to encourage more and more youth without the financial muscle to derive the much needed benefits of Technical and Vocational Education.”
“Over the years, the TVET sector has suffered an image crisis over a public perception of being the refuge of students who are academically poor. This is an important challenge we need to work on and overcome if we are to succeed with TVET in Ghana. Other chokeholds around the jugular of TVET in Ghana that should be tackled in order to derive the best from TVET include the challenge of inadequate or even obsolete machinery, an outdated curriculum, a lack of standardization, duplication of roles amongst agencies and poor investment in the sector.”
“Culture, they say is a peoples’ way of life. For the chiefs and people of Mepe, therefore, and in tandem with the theme for this celebration, I encourage you to, in your moves to start your TVET institution, ensure to tailor programmes to the peculiar needs of Mepe and its environs in order to make training relevant to the needs of the people.”
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“TVET is not only about knowing how to do things but also understanding why things are done in a particular way. With this knowledge, let us build a TVET system that leaves no one behind but recognizes each person as a potential agent of unbridled creativity and development.”
“It is my belief that the agenda being set by the chiefs and people of Mepe in pursuit a TVET institution, is a pragmatic way of contributing positively to the nation’s job creation agenda. For this, and all the benefits a TVET institution will bring, I wish to join all and sundry in commending the chiefs and people of Mepe. God bless us all and God bless Ghana!”
Credit: icreategh.com
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