Okogyeman Kwaku Gyeaprah lll, the Paramount Chief of Sefwi Chirano Traditional Area, has cautioned the youth to stay away from alcohol and hard drugs, including marijuana, tramado and red.
He gave this advice in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), during the celebration of 2025 Elluo Festival durbar at Bibiani International Park under the theme, Our heritage, Our People’s, Our Development., using alcohol and hard drugs can affect young people’s health, physical growth, educational, emotional, and social development.
The Paramount Chief, who is also the Vice President of Western North Regional House of Chiefs and board chairman of the Metro Mass Trasit, noted that the youth might want to fit in with their friends by indulging in such activities but stressed the consequences of drug abuse were severe
He praised Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II for a rich heritage displayed and promoting of culture and contributed an amount of GHC 5,000 to support the Ogyeahoho Education Fund.
MacDan, who the special guest of honour of the occasion pledges to offer GH₵ 2 million interest-free loan to women in Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area expand their businesses and scholarship package for 10 brilliant students but needy within Municipality.
Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II, the Paramount Chief of Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area, was thankful to Dr. MacDan, for honouring the invitation and generosity towards the development of Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipality.
Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi ll, as part of the Elluo festival, launches Ogyeahoho Education Fund with a seed money of GHC 500,000 allocation to support education in the area.
The fund, dubbed Ogyeahoho Education Fund, is expected to benefit brilliant students but needy within the Sefwi Anhwiaso Traditional Area to access quality education and contribute to holistic development of the Municipality.
The Paramount Chief, who doubles as the National House of President, was optimistic that the fund would ease the financial burden of some of the parents who could afford to pay the school fees of the children to further their education at the tertiary level.
In addition, he also donated a seed money of GH₵ 200,000 and 20 desktop computers to construct a state-of-the-art ICT laboratory centre to empower students to compete globally.”
“Ogyeahoho Yaw Gyebi II commended these initiatives in his keynote address at the 2025 Elluo Festival durbar, held at Bibiani International Park, under the theme: ‘Our Heritage, Our People, Our Development’.”
“Our heritage is our identity. We owe it as a duty to protect and preserve our uniqueness. Posterity will not forgive us if we abandon our beautiful culture for another’s”. He stressed.
He underscored the need for total unity and commitment to the preservation of Ghanaian culture and values.
This year’s Elluo Festival held in a grand style drawing thousand of celebrants, dignitries and cultural enthusiasts from across the country and beyond.
Awulea Agyefi Kwame ll, The Paramount Chief of Nseim Traditional Area, who was the chairman for the occasion, urged the chiefs to strengthen their commitment to collaborating with the government in the fight against galamsey since they were the custodians of the lands.
He emphasised the need for a collective effort to safeguard the environment and rejected money for unborn generations
The Elluo Festival displayed the rich culture of the area through drumming and dancing and was attended by government officials, including Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim, Minister for Local Government and Religious Affairs, Mr. Wilbert Petty Brentum, Western North Regional Minister, Mr. Bright Asamoah Brefo, Member of Parliament (MP) for Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai, Mr. Afful Benteh Kofi, Member of Parliament (MP) for Sefwi, the Municipal Chief Executives for Bibiani and Sefwi Wiawso.
Present at the festival were other traditional leaders, Okogyeman Kwaku Gyeaprah lll, the Paramount Chief of Sefwi Chirano Traditional Area, Nana Ofori Ahenkah, Chief of Boinzan who doubles as the Acting President of the Sefwi Wiawso Traditional Council, among others across the sixteen regions to graced the event.
By: *Daniel Akwasi Nuako,Bibiani
