TANOBOASE SACRED GROVE A TOURISM POTENTIAL

 

 Tanoboase Sacred Grove

Tano Sacred Grove in the Techiman Municipality of the Brong Ahafo Region is one of the leading tourists in the region but unknown to most tourists.

The Grove, a Community Based-Ecotourism Project (CBEP) was started in 1996. With the help of the Ghana Association for the Conservation of Nature (GACON), the Tanoboase community began the development of the Groove as an eco-tourism site. In the year 2001, Tanoboase was selected as one of the 14 eco-tourism sites nation-wide to be developed under the CBEP.

The fund for the project was provided by United States Agency for International Development (USAID). The implementation of the CBEP has been a collaborative effort between the Nature Conservation Research Centre, Ghana Tourist Board, US Peace Corps Ghana, SNV Netherlands Development Organization and the project communities.

The project is to develop community-owned and operated eco-tourism activities at environmental sensitive rural destination, which will serve as income generating opportunities by conserving local ecosystem rather than through unsustainable exploitation.

In Tanoboase, a tourism management team comprised of local community members is directing the project at the ground level.

The grove is nestled within a semi-deciduous forest, and encloses a cluster striking sandstone rock formation.

As one hikes along the natural trails, one will observe a variety of plants, trees, birds and butterfly species. A lucky visitor may also spot antelopes, baboons and monkeys, once rare but whose population is increasing by the day. There is a bat colony as well. A climb up to the sandstone rocks leads to a panoramic overlook of what was used during the Ashanti-Bono wars. The grove tour could last approximately one to four hours.

One interesting attraction at the grove is the stone that has carved itself into a shape of a tortoise. Tano sacred grove is the site of one the earliest Bono settlements. Taakora, the highest of the Akan gods on earth, dwells at the source of the Tano River. When the inhabitants of Tanoboase discovered the god, the grove became a place of sanctity and worship and remained so ever since.

The Tano shrine, residing in a brass pan, is currently kept Tanoboase town but it is carried to the grove annually by a fetish for consultation.  The grove is also the site of the annual Apo Festival, which is the time of spiritual cleansing, held April and May every year. Discover the history, tradition and natural beauty of the first settling place of the Bono people.

By Michael Sarpong Mfum, Tanoboase, Brong Ahafo Region

KING LAGAZEE PRESENTS "DUB LEGEND"

 King Lagazee

The five-star general, King Lagazee, presents ‘Dub Legend,’ a reggae dancehall show on Hitz TV on Multi TV.

The show is aired every Friday 8 P.M., and is repeated on Sunday 1P.M. Two wonderful people- Eunice Foli and Zag- produce the programme with Ricky Anokye directing the show.

The show has four segments: Chant Down; Reasoning; Positive Chart, and Conscious.

The Chant Down segment tackles social issues of national interest not forgetting the ghetto youth. On this segment also people are given the platform to air their views on problems they are going through in their localities.

Reasoning segment delves into issues that affect the reggae dancehall industry in Ghana, Africa and the world. Issues affecting the society are equally discussed.

“We do this Reasoning with our invited guests. And so far Dr. Harmet Maulana a historian, Daddy Bosco, Programs Director Hitz FM, Bull Dog from Bullhaus Entertainment, Elorm Beenie, have featured on the show,” Lagazee disclosed.

Positive Chart is where reggae dancehall artistes both local and foreign are interviewed.

So far  Rocky Dawuni, Iwan, Chizzy Wailer, Sheriff Ghale, Original Mystic Alpha, Commander Messiah have featured.

Legendary of the Week is also a segment, which profiles artistes who have gotten to the legendary status.

Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh, Max Romeo, Culture, Eric Donaldson, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown are some of legends profiled so far.

Conscious reggae dancehall videos are shown to satisfy the soul and mind of viewers.

Dub Legend is one and half-month-old shows on Hitz TV on Multi TV.

King Lagazee, apart from hosting Dub Legend, also presents ‘Ital Riddims’ on Adukrom Akuapem-based radio station, Radio Mountains on 96.1 MHz.

Before joining Radio Mountains, he had worked with Rite FM at Somanya for close to eight years.

STORY: FROM MICHAEL SARPONG MFUM, ADUKROM-AKUAPEM, E/R

PUPILS SERVED 'PITO' AS BREAKFAST

                                                                        Pito

Pupils in the Sunyani West District of the Brong Ahafo region are served a local beer popularly known as pito as their daily breakfast.

Pito is a type of beer made from fermented millet or sorghum in northern Ghana, parts of Nigeria, and other parts of West Africa. The alcohol content is not as strong as the normal beer.

Children as young as five years are spotted in the mornings with their bottle of pito heading to school, a scene that has been confirmed by most taxi drivers in the region. Aprakukrom, Fawotrikosie, Abronye and Bofourkrom are the main communities engaged in such activities.

The issue came to light during this year’s celebration of the International Human Rights Day organised by a Sunyani-based NGO, Global Media Foundation (GLOMEF) at Aprakukrom.

According to some of the parents, they do not see anything wrong with their children taking pito as their breakfast because that is what they could afford since the local beer is easy to come by in their various homes.

During the forum, majority of the women blamed their husbands for doing very little to support the up keep of their children as they only invest their income in hard liquor and concubines at the expense of the children’s future.

The women called on authorities to check men of such disgraceful character. The few men, who were present at the programme, expressed their displeasure over the development and fled the meeting unceremoniously.

They said it was a deliberate attempt by the organisers to embarrass them in the presence of their wives, which they said was against their tradition.

The Chief Executive Officer of GLOMEF, Raphael Godlove Ahenu Jnr. encouraged the men in the community to support their wives to give their children quality education.

He said the challenges the women have revealed should not lead to quarrels at home which could lead to divorce.


By Michael Sarpong Mfum/Citifmonline. com

'DON'T USE FOUL LANGUAGE'

                                                

    

                                                      Hon. Kwadwo Adjei Darko 

Former Minister of Local Government and Rural Government under the Kufuor administration, Kwadwo Adjei Darko, has called on members of the Tertiary Students Confederacy (TESCON) of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) not to use abusive language in their campaigns.

This, according to him, would not win votes for the party in the 2012 General Election.
Mr. Adjei Darko noted that political insults is not the tradition of the NPP and therefore called on TESCON not to indulge in it but rather discuss issues that affect the ordinary Ghanaian.
The former minister made this appeal at the launch of the Brong Ahafo regional branch of TESCON alumni in Sunyani.
“The NDC always capitalizes on the ignorance of people, they always say they go to the villages to do their campaign, only God knows the type of campaign they do in these villages. They go to these places to lie,” he intimated.
Mr. Adjei Darko added: “It is about time we intensified our education and tell Ghanaians why NPP must come back. As TESCON alumni, please take up the mantle to work harder to ensure that we rescue Ghanaians from this hardship.”
He also remarked that the NDC has equated criticism with abuse and advised them not to be drawn into their game.
He said the NDC could not mention a single policy they have implemented since they assumed office three years ago.
The former minister called on members of the NPP not to give “breathing space” to the NDC to go about lying.
The former Member of Parliament for the Sunyani East Constituency swore the executives of the association into office with Stephen Opuni as the President.
Brong Ahafo Regional Communication Director of the NPP, Kofi Boateng, said the party is mapping out good and concrete strategies to maintain the 15 seats it has in the region and is equally working harder to capture more seats.
The NPP, he insisted, is not going to rest on its oars but work with all groups in the party to have a convincing victory in the 2012 General Elections.
Other NPP stalwarts who attended the programme included the aspiring candidate for the Tano North Constituency, Freda Prempeh, a leading member of the party, Susana Asante and members of Nana Addo for President (NAFOP), members of TESCON Sunyani Polytechnic and TESCON Sunyani Nursing Training College.

STORY: FROM MICHAEL SARPONG MFUM, SUNYANI B/A

DADDY LUMBA TO ROCK SUNYANI

 

DADDY LUMBA

Daddy Lumba, one of Ghana’s music legend would be rocking the Brong Ahafo Regional capital Sunyani on December 16, 2011.

Daddy Lumba aka DL born Charles Kwadwo Fosu who has 27 albums to credit was honoured for his contribution to the Ghanaian music industry. He also staged a wonderful show, which saw former President J. A. Kuffour, Jerry John Rawlings and his wife Nana Konadu Agyemang Rawlings exhibiting their dancing prowess.

Expectations are high in Sunyani and its environs as residents prepare to meet Daddy Lumba and other artistes who would be treating them to some unforgettable tunes.

Artistes billed to rock the stage at the Centre for National Culture alongside Daddy Lumba (CNC) include K.K. Fosu, Kofi Nti and Okyeame Kwame .

MCs for the show would include actress, Nana Ama MacBrown and the ever-humorous Afia Schwarzenegger. Angel Group of Companies is organizing the programme. Daddy Lumba was in Sunyani last to create awareness for the programme.

FDB SEIZES EXPIRED PRODUCTS IN BA

The Brong Ahafo branch of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has over the last two weeks seized expired products worth GhC 18,000.

Most of the products seized include condoms, aphrodisiacs, soft drinks, alcoholic drinks, herbal medicines, biscuits among others.

Mr. Martin Gyan Nkum, the Brong Ahafo Zonal Director of the FDB, in an interview with Citi News said his outfit would continue to intensify educating the residents to be on the lookout so that they would not fall prey to unscrupulous sellers who would want to cash-in as the Yuletide approaches.

“FDB is calling on consumers to be very careful as they purchase items as part of preparations towards the Yuletide,” he said. “Some unscrupulous sellers want to make profit, if they are buying processed or packaged foods, they should check if it is not expired and not rusted. ”

“Last week we seized soft drinks where the shop owner has used correction fluid to clean the expiring date. If the container is dented or bloated don’t buy because it could result in food poisoning,” Mr. Nkum appealed.

He noted that the FDB will be educating consumers to make decisions on their own without the need for personnel of the FDB to be around to guide them.

“FDB is not everywhere in the Brong Ahafo region so when we intensify our education, the consumers would definitely be empowered so that they can make decisions that would save their lives,” he said.

“We are using the various radio stations around, I am much grateful to the various radio stations and journalists, who are helping FDB to educate the citizenry as how to avoid food poisoning through eating expired foods, ” he noted.

Mr. Nkum said most of the products were seized at the big market centers in the region including Techiman, Berekum, Goaso, Yeji, Atebubu and Sampa. Seven persons have also been put before the court for various offences committed.


By Michael Sarpong Mfum/Citifmonline. com

BEST FARMER APPEALS TO GOVT. TO HELP FARMERS GET LOANS

 B/A best farmer  Stephen Kwadwo Adjei receiving hand shake from regional Minister  Kwadwo Nyamekye-Marfo

The 2011 Brong Ahafo regional Best farmer 56-year-old Stephen Kwadwo Adjei from Nyinase Jerusalem in the Nkoranza South District is calling on government to assist farmers to access loans.

Mr. Stephen Kwadwo Adjei told Today in an interview at his base Nyinase Jerusalem in the Nkoranza South District of the Brong Ahafo Region.

Mr. Stephen Kwadwo Adjei was last week crowned the Brong Ahafo Regional best farmer at the regional farmers’ Day held at Wamfie, the district capital of the Dormaa East District .This year alone, he has cultivated 300 acres of maize, 60 acres of yam, 60 acres of cassava, 100 acre of teak tree, cashew fruit 10 acres, mango 10 acres, 600 hens, 40 goats and 3 fishponds.

Mr. Adjei says many farmers in the Nkoranza District cannot access loans because majority of them do not have collaterals; this he said has become a big headache for farmers who are finding it difficult to expand their famers.

“I want to urge government to use the agric extension officers to help farmers to get loans, the agric extension officer’s work with the farmers so they are the best people to identify those who are farmers and those who can pay their loans. I also want to use the opportunity to appeal to the youth to go into farming because it is lucrative; this I believe would reduce the unemployment rate in the country.” Mr. Adjei appealed.

According to Mr. Adjei he has been farming close to 20 years, he used to rear cattle but has to stop because his cattle destroyed people’s crops and thought it was not good to continue to rearing the animals.

“I was rearing cattle sometime ago, but I have to stop because they were destroying people’s crops so I thought it wise to stop rearing them. These farmers find it difficult to access loans so why should I allow my cattle to destroy the little they have used their strength to grow, I have decided to go into more crop production,” he noted.