“Our region can progress, grow and develop as expected to improve residents’ living standards when there is absolute peace, unity, educational background and location should not be hindrance,” he noted.

Nana Basoa indicated that if communities sustain their prevailing peace, unity and cohesion, regardless of their numbers, there was nothing they could not achieve if they put their minds to it.

He made the call at Bechem in the Tano South District at the launch of the ‘Ahafo Home Coming Festival 2022’ and observed that the culture where people expected the government to solely provide all development projects should be reviewed and encouraged self-help projects that would improve livelihoods to create wealth.

“It is not the duty of any government to create jobs but create the enabling environment for the citizenry to initiate projects and venture into entrepreneurship to thrive so as to create jobs and wealth to ameliorate plight of the people as part of their contribution towards progress, growth and development, but certainly not everything we require as a region.

“Instead, I expect financially sound residents and those with the best lobbying skills and knowledge to make good use of them to help bring progress, growth and development to the doorsteps of residents in order to transform our communities to help achieve the aim of why the Ahafo Region was created,” Nana Basoa entreated.

Nana Ofori, one of the brains behind the Ahafo Homecoming Festival initiative, indicated that the idea was muted after thorough discussion with traditional authorities and other opinion leaders in the region and appealed to all citizens of Ahafo, both home and abroad, to play their part to ensure success of the festival to the benefit of the region.

“Some investors and indigenes outside the region and the country have expressed their interest to be part of the three-day festival to ensure it realises massive development trends to attract investors in and out of Ahafo and the country,” he hinted.

George Boakye, Ahafo Regional Minister, expressed his delight for the festival, expected to influence progress and growth of the region, and pledged the Coordinating Council’s support and assistance before, during, and after the festival.