The Chiefs and people of Agona Nsaba in the Agona East District of the Central Region have unveiled their 2024 annual Akwambo festival with a call on the inhabitants to contribute their quota towards infrastructural and human development. It is expected that an amount of GHS750,000 would be raised during this year's festival on the theme: '' Good parenting, the key to family and community development to support self-help projects to give Agona Nsaba a facelift. Addressing the gathering after the launch, the Omanhene of Agona Nsaba Traditional Area, Okeseku Afari Mintah III, called on the people to come home and support the development of the town. '' Building a prosperous Agona Nsaba by all inhabitants will be the greatest legacy for posterity,' the Omanhene recounted. Okeseku Afari Mintah said the inhabitants must endeavour to help in the transformation of infrastructural development and not rely solely on the central government for the provision of social amenities. The Omanhene expressed concern about the behaviour of some youths whose character inhibits social and economic development in the area. He cautioned them against drug abuse, petty thievery, laziness, and others which were inimical to the growth of society and appealed to parents to take up their responsibilities to ensure the wellbeing of their children. Nana Adjoah Nkansah Aduam III, Paramount Queen mother of the Area said the purpose of the Annual Akwambo festival, was to ensure the speedy implementation of developmental projects. She therefore debunked the notion that the celebration of the festival was meant for idolatry or worshiping of deities as perceived by some people but was instituted by their forefathers to protect the lives of the inhabitants. Nana Nkansah Aduam used the occasion to appeal to the inhabitants of the town to come home and support development projects initiated by Nanaanom to give Nsaba a facelift. Mr George Kurankye, a retired Accountant, who chaired the launch, added his voice to the call on parents to take good care of their children to enable them to become responsible adults. He called on the residents of Agona Nsaba to give topmost priority to the town as far as developmental projects and transformation of human lives were concerned. Programme of activities unveiled Akwambo festival which would commence with a ban on noise making on Sunday, October 9, is expected to be climaxed with a grand durbar on Saturday, November 2, 2024. Nananom would sit in state to signify the beginning of 2024 Akwambo on Sunday, October 9. There would be prayers and gospel music night by all citizens by the local council of churches, inter-school quiz or debate competition, installation and swearing-in of chiefs, football competition, and general clean-up exercises in the town by the citizens. The rest are Women's Day and cooking competition, purification of Nanaanom stools, health walk, football competition finals and a fund-raising dinner. Dr Richard Kyereboah, co-Chairman of the 2024 Akwambo Planning Committee urged inhabitants to pay GHS10.00 per male and GHS5.00 per female as levies to raise funds to complete the social centre. Dr Kyereboah said the celebration of the festival was to reinforce unity among citizens of Nsaba and to encourage financial contributions by the inhabitants, corporate bodies, NGOs and philanthropists for the completion of the ongoing projects. He hinted that it was also to mobilise the vibrant youth of the town for patriotism and rejection of destructive social vices for development to thrive. Source: Ghana News Agency