The twin communities of Taviefe-Deme and Sreme in the Ho Municipality of the Volta Region have taken steps to strengthen their historical ties and promote development through a joint celebration of their annual Yam Festival.
The September celebration brought residents and traditional leaders together to express gratitude to God, their deities and ancestors for a successful harvest while praying for good health, peace and prosperity. The festival also served as a platform to mobilise funds for development projects.
Speaking at the event, the Member of Parliament for Ho Central, Richmond Edem Kofi Kpotosu, praised the communities for demonstrating accountability by investing proceeds from the previous year’s festival in projects aimed at improving their living conditions.
He disclosed that construction had begun on a dormitory block for the community’s technical school, while plans were also underway to establish a community centre.
Mr Kpotosu encouraged residents to maintain the momentum and present updates on the projects at next year’s festival. He said such progress reports would help stakeholders assess the work done and determine where additional assistance was required.
He observed that some communities had organised fundraising activities for several years without achieving significant results, stressing that collective contributions should translate into visible and meaningful development.
The MP also urged teachers to help establish strong institutional foundations, explaining that well-organised initiatives could attract support from individuals and groups, including members of the communities living abroad.
He further called on residents to complement government efforts by setting up businesses and creating jobs, noting that the government could not employ everyone.
On education, Mr Kpotosu encouraged young people to pursue technical and vocational training, emphasising that practical skills were just as important as academic qualifications.
He noted that vocationally trained individuals contributed to society as designers, innovators and problem-solvers. He therefore appealed to parents to appreciate the different abilities of their children instead of judging those who struggled academically at an early age.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Ho, Stephen Adom, also commended Taviefe-Deme and Sreme for choosing cooperation over division in their pursuit of development.
He stressed that unity was crucial to community progress and appealed to the residents to preserve their partnership by continuing to celebrate their festivals together rather than organising separate events.
Mr Adom reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the communities, disclosing that he had supplied some building materials for the proposed community centre.
He expressed optimism that the facility would be completed and officially commissioned by next year’s festival, adding that he remained committed to supporting the project.
The MCE also cautioned young people against allowing themselves to be manipulated by individuals seeking to create unrest, particularly in connection with chieftaincy disputes in the municipality.
He urged them to support their traditional leaders, remain united and work collectively to advance peace and development.
The Afetorfia of Taviefe-Sreme, Togbe Dr Kpegba Agbakpe I, said chieftaincy disputes and conflicting accounts of the communities’ history had contributed to the weakening of their traditional relationship.
He called on the people to revive the unity their ancestors enjoyed, recalling a time when residents of both communities celebrated festivals together, visited one another and shared meals in harmony.
According to him, the divisions between the communities should prompt residents to reflect on whether they were adequately preserving the heritage inherited from their forebears.
He urged both sides to learn from their history, rebuild trust and redirect their collective energy towards initiatives that would benefit their people.
Togbe Agbakpe I expressed confidence that the renewed partnership would extend beyond the festival and result in further development for the two communities.
The Chief of Taviefe-Sreme, Zipuitor Atafiagbi, described the gathering of young people from Taviefe-Deme and Sreme as an important milestone in efforts to restore their relationship.
He said the joint celebration was the first of its kind since 2002, noting that the decision to bring the communities together had already produced encouraging outcomes.
The chief identified the construction of a community centre as one of their major priorities, explaining that the facility would provide a shared space for meetings, public gatherings and other community activities.
He expressed hope that the next edition of the festival would attract greater participation and showcase further progress on the ongoing development projects.
Mr Atafiagbi also expressed concern about drug abuse and other forms of misconduct among some young people. He announced plans to organise seminars, debates and town-hall meetings to educate them about the consequences of such behaviour.
He said traditional authorities and other stakeholders were determined to address the concerns and hoped to commence the educational programmes in the near future.
The joint Yam Festival has emerged as an important platform for Taviefe-Deme and Sreme to rebuild their historical relationship, encourage peaceful coexistence and raise resources for projects designed to improve the welfare of their residents.
By: Prince Martey-Sogar.