Accra, Feb. 28, GNA - The Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture would organise the Second Savannah Smock Exhibition and Fashion from March 11-15. It is on the theme: 93Promoting the Smock for Economic Empowerment"= to promote the smock popularly called Fugu in local parlance. Smock, the indigenous attire peculiar to the Upper East, Upper West an= d Northern Regions in Ghana is a cultural heritage because all the inputs are from Ghana; - from cultivation of the cotton through spinning to sewing. It is one of the few products which fit well into the self reliance category of development.

A statement issued by the Ministry in Accra on Monday said it was of the view that with the improvement in the packaging and education of the public on the symbolism of the unique garment, patronage of the smoke would shoot up. It is being organised in collaboration with Asor Body Works and supported by Accra Polytechnic Fashion School. The statement said the successful promotion of the smock would also support the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) both aimed at poverty alleviation through improvement in the economic base of all involved in the production process.

"The expected results would be prevention of rural-urban drift with its attendant negative effects like unwanted and teenage pregnancies resulting in a new breed of street children, environmental degradation which are all threats to development", it added.

The Ministry therefore appealed to corporate bodies, institutions and individuals for assistance and sponsorship fully confident that the viability of the intervention would be realised with support. The Ministry was established to develop, promote, and preserve the cultural heritage of Ghanaians through policies and programmes. 8