Saltpond: Amidst a colourful display of community, social networking, culture, and history, Saltpond celebrated its first-ever homecoming festival, designed to reconnect the people of Saltpond, both home and in the diaspora.
According to Ghana News Agency, the festival coincided with the formal inauguration of the Mfantseman-Saltpond Development Alliance (MSDA), a citizen-led movement dedicated to bringing together chiefs, professionals, the diaspora, and youth of the area. The Saltpond homecoming festival, a brainchild of MSDA, is aimed at promoting community pride, local tourism, and grassroots action, aligned to an annual developmental project.
The festival was celebrated by communities, electoral areas, and suburbs of Saltpond within the Mfantseman Municipality on the theme: 'Reuniting Our Roots, Reimagining the Future.' In his address, the President of the Alliance, Mr. Ernest De-graft Egyir, called the day historic, highlighting why they must honour their past and take responsibility for shaping the future of Saltpond and Mfantseman.
Mr. De-graft Egyir called on President John Mahama to fulfill the promise made in 2022, when he was in opposition, to have the Founder's Day celebration moved to Saltpond, in recognition of the town's unmatched role in Ghana's political history. 'Saltpond is not just a coastal town, but a cradle of Ghana's modern politics. It was here, in 1947, where the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC) was formed. It was here again, in 1949, that the Convention People's Party (CPP) was born. If Ghana is the black star of Africa, then Saltpond is the spark that lit the flame of independence,' he added.
The festival brought together industry players including the deputy CEO of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Gilbert Abeiku Aggrey, who called for unity as it was the foundation of development. He noted that Saltpond's growth was stalling because of a lack of unity among the traditional leadership, adding that tensions surrounding the celebration of the Nkusukum traditional area festival, 'Odambea,' had led to serious divisions, although festivals must bring people together to boost the local economy and tourism.
Mr. De-graft Aggrey consequently appealed to the traditional leaders as well as the youth of Saltpond to unite for development to attract investors to the area. Founder and group chair of the McDan Group, Dr. Daniel McKorley, highlighted the potentials of Saltpond which was rich in tourism that could attract local and international visitors when well branded. He promised to, as an entrepreneur, help build an amusement park or other facilities that could transform Saltpond to bring wealth to the area.
He enumerated the talents, skills, and innovations endowed in the youth of Saltpond such as music, sports, technology, ICT, and entrepreneurship, describing them as 'unmatched.' 'I am ready to help mentor entrepreneurs here and support them. If we create vocational training centres, and mentorship platforms, the youth will not leave in search of non-existing opportunities, they will build the opportunities here,' he stated.
The Member of Parliament for Mfantseman constituency, Dr. Prince Arhin, encouraged indigenes of Saltpond, especially those in the diaspora, to contribute to developing the area. He pledged to continue to advocate and lobby as their MP, to create opportunities for the youth to promote youth empowerment. He acknowledged Saltpond's potentials and urged stakeholders to exploit the area's tourism potential.
The MSDA crowned the maiden Saltpond Homecoming Festival with a sustainable water project for the Saltpond Municipal Hospital, ending years of water shortages and bringing lasting relief to patients and staff.