General News of Monday, 28 May 2001

Source: --

Aflao Traditional Council to ban formation of new drumming groups

The Aflao Traditional Council is to place an embargo on the formation of new cultural and drumming groups in the area to forestall their proliferation as a result of factional squabbles among members that lead to breakaways,

There are currently about 50 such groups in the area. Togbe Amenya Fiti V, Paramount Chief of the Aflao Traditional Area, announced this at the weekend, when he addressed the fifth anniversary celebration of the "Agbeyeye Haborbor" at Denu, in the Volta Region.

The association also out-doored its five million cedis musical instruments at the ceremony.

Togbe Fiti noted that the laudable objectives of these groups to support members during illnesses, death and bereavement are defeated by frequent disagreements.

Some people promote discontent in the groups and then take part of the membership out to form rival associations, which they could lead.

Others also leave to join other groups after collecting benefits from their mother associations.

Togbe Fiti urged the groups to re-direct their programmes to supporting their members when they are alive through business promotion credits rather than investing everything in death benefits.