Mr Isaac Ashai Odamtten, the Tema East Member of Parliament (MP), has presented some food items and an undisclosed amount of money to the Tema Traditional Council towards the celebration of the Homowo Festival.
The items include 21 gallons of palm oil, 21 bags of corn dough, 10 cartons of schnapps, cartons of fish, some bottled water, and drinks.
These will be distributed to the various clan houses in Tema to support in the preparation of the traditional meal Kpokpoi, made from non-fermented corn dough, and eaten with palmnut soup.
The name Homowo means ‘hooting at hunger,’ which historically signifies the abundance of food after a severe famine.
Mr Odamtten invited all natives of Tema to return home for the celebration, while urging residents who are not indigenes, to also participate in the celebration to ensure unity.
He said Homowo offered the people the grounds to unite, take stock of the past traditional year, and plan towards the coming year.
He urged residents, especially youth groups, to observe the sanctity of the festival and not engage in violence and immoral acts.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Odamtten pledged his commitment towards championing the development of Tema and called for the cooperation of all, despite their political affiliations, to bring progress.
‘I will continue to work as MP for all, and serve you with a great sense of humility,’ he said.
‘When the MP calls for town hall meetings, it is not just for NDC supporters; anyone who wants Tema to progress and develop should attend.’
‘Let us leverage each other’s expertise as we push the agenda for social development in education, healthcare, and job creation in the constituency.’
Mr Odamtten, a member of the National Democratic Congress, was the former Chief Executive Officer of the Tema Metropolitan Authority, from 2013 to 2017.
Source: Ghana News Agency