EASTER CELEBRATIONS IN THE VOLTA REGION (PAGE 20, MARCH 17, 2010)

EASTER is a period celebrated in remembrance of the cruxificion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In this regard, the Christian world, believers of Christ, observe Good Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday and Easter Monday to commemorate the passion, death and triumphant resurrection of Jesus from the dead, which signifies the birth of Christianity.
Aside its religious aspect, the Easter period has been adopted by many traditional areas in Ghana for social activities such as fund-raising to fund development projects, family reunion, youth socialisation, reconciliation and development planning.
In some areas of the Volta Region, activities to raise funds to finance development projects are planned for the Easter, compelling all citizens to visit home and contribute their quota towards the development of their communities.
For this year, the people of Mafi-Avakpedome in the Central Tongu District will hold a fund-raising rally in aid of the construction of a school block for the community, while the people of Takla Gborgame will also hold a grand activity on Easter Sunday.
The people of Likpe Traditional Area in the Hohoe Municipality will also devote the Easter Saturday to a durbar of their “Lekoryi” or Unity Festival, aimed at forming stronger bonds among the people.
The celebration of the “Lekoryi” this year is on the theme: “Tourism for sustainable development and wealth creation,” with a special project focused on the wiring of all basic school blocks to facilitate the use of computers for electronic learning (e-learning) through the use of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).
Other communities which will celebrate Easter in a grand style are the people of Sovie, Kpando, Kpando-Torkor, Vakpo, Tsrukpe, Botoku, Anfoega, Awate, Wusuta, all in the Kpando District, and Ve, Gbi, Santrokofi, Akpafu, Logba and Nyagbo in the Hohoe Municipality.
In fact, many more communities across the region have planned to celebrate Easter with goodwill towards life, the neighbourhood and community development.
The celebration will give a flip to the decentralisation process, which requires that citizens participate in the governance of their areas, for which it is incumbent on every traditional area in the country to set the tone for opportunities for their kinsmen to visit home without fear.
That may serve as a fertile ground for the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development (MLGRD) and district assemblies to put their act together to ensure that rural development receives the needed boost.