The First Lady Mrs. Rebecca Naa Okaikor Akufo-Addo on Tuesday joined the Ga Mantse, King Dr. Tackie Teiko Tsuru II and elders and people of Ga Mashie to celebrate this year’s Homowo festival in Accra.
The Homowo Festival is celebrated by the Ga tribe annually, to remind themselves of their long battle against famine and how the rains finally came to ease their burden.
A Ga herself, the First Lady was accompanied by Minister for Foreign Affairs and MP for Anyaa Sowutuom Hon. Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Deputy Greater Accra Regional Minister Hon. Elizabeth Sackey, Administrator of the District Assembly Common Fund (DACF) and former MP for Tema West, Hon. Irene Naa Torshie, NPP Parliamentary candidate for Odododoidoo, Nii Lante Bannerman, Mayor of Accra, Hon Mohammed Nii Adjei Sowah, and CEO of Coastal Development Authority (CDA) Jerry Shaibu Ahmed.
The team paid courtesy calls on the Ga Mantse Stool House, Sempe Mantse Palace, Gbese Mantse, Abola Mantse We, Akumanjen Mantse Palace, Otublohum Mantse Palace, Asere Mantse Stool House, Nii Tetteh Ankamah We, Nae We, Korle We, Sakumo We, Asafoatse Mankata We and the Chorkor Mantse palace, and presented various items to each house to celebrate the festival with.
At a gathering to mark the beginning of the celebration, the First lady extolled the people of Ga Mashie for keeping the peace to present a united front for this important Festival saying, a united traditional front is what elicits economic investments which expedites development in any community.
She urged the people to take advantage of the many social intervention policies being implemented by the government of her husband, H.E. President Akufo-Addo including the Free SHS policy, to break the vicious cycle of semi-literacy and poverty in their communities.
Mrs. Akufo-Addo who is also Executive Director of The Rebecca Foundation, pledged the Foundation’s determination to compliment government’s efforts to enhance the lives of its citizens by intensifying the implementation of initiatives including Terema (supporting women to improve their economic status), Because I want to Be (keeping girls in school) and Learning to Read (improving child literacy) , among others, as well as the construction of health facilities and supply of hospital equipment to needy institutions.
Coming on the back of the dreaded Covid-19 pandemic, Mrs. Akufo-Addo urged the elders and people of the Ga Mashie to adhere to all safety protocols in celebrating this year’s Homowo by limiting the Kpekple sprinkling ritual to their individual homes.
