The Paramount Chief of the Owerenkyi Traditional Council in the Central Region, Ohunabobrim Prah Agyensaim, has called on Africans in general and Ghanaians as a whole to shun all forms of slavery and human trafficking.

The paramount chief made this call during an organized program by the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) with the theme ‘’ Emancipation, Our Heritage Our Strength’’.

Addressing the gathering, the paramount chief of the Owirenkyi Traditional Council, Ohunaborim Prah Agyensaim praised President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for encouraging the celebration of the Year of Return in the country.

Ohunaborim Prah Agyensaim sounded a note of caution to all across the globe to eschew all forms of slavery and human trafficking in order to halt a repetition of the past.

‘Emancipation Day celebration’ is an annual celebration held to sensitize the citizenry on ways of avoiding all forms of slavery and inhumane treatments against mankind. It is also a day set aside to welcome Africans from the Diaspora to their roots.

The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority, Ekow Sampson, also called on the citizens and the Government to help fight against all forms of slavery and human trafficking in the world.

Touching on the significance of the Emancipation Day celebration, Ekow Sampson pointed out that, the Emancipation celebration does not just reunite Africans from the Diaspora but also educates all about African freedom fighters like W.E.Du Bois, Maxwel Philip, Sylvester William Padmore, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and Nelson Mandela.

Mr Ekow Sampson disclosed that the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture in conjunction with the Ministry of Education is working closely with the Parliament to ensure the passage of a legislative instrument for tourists that visit tourist sites in the country.

He also made a humble request to the Assin Owerenkyi, Assin Atandaso and the Assin Afutuakwa Traditional councils to help conserve their tourist sites.

The paramount chief of the Suampon-Suadroman Traditional Council, Nana Awudu Nseku X, who took the participants through the history of the infamous slave trade in the country and the effects it had on the citizenry.

The Member of Parliament for the Assin North Constituency, Abena Durowaah Mensah, disclosed that she was collaborating with the District Assembly to put in place more efforts to elevate the present state of the Assin Praso Slave Corridor and Garden. She also enumerated some successes chalked in her tenure as the MP for the area.

The Central Regional Minister, Kwamina Duncan also called on the three District Assemblies in the area to form a committee in order to plan on how subsequent festivals would be celebrated in the area.

Background

This year’s Emancipation celebration at Assin Praso in the Assin North District of the Central Region started with a simulation of how the Europeans meted out inhumane treatments to the slaves that they had bought from the hinterland in the course of crossing the Pra River.

It came to light that the slaves from the hinterlands that survived the atrocities from the European and African merchants were finally sent to either the Elmina or Cape Coast Castles before being shipped abroad.

This event was quickly followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the Mass graveyard at the Assin Praso Slave gardens.