Nana Fosu Gyeabour Akoto II, Paramount Chief of Bechem, has launched the second Adekyem festival of the chiefs and people.

The week-long festival to be celebrated at Bechem in Tano South District of Brong-Ahafo Region is slated for November 24- November 30 on the theme: “Adekyem festival as a tool for the socio-economic development of the Bechem Traditional Area.”

It is aimed at mobilising funds to sustain the Atanofo Education Fund, which was set up during the maiden Adekyem Festival in November 2011 and also to create a number of income generating projects that would improve the quality of life of the people. Nana Akoto, who launched the event at the weekend, said the festival would be used as a platform to partner government for the accelerated and holistic socio-economic development of the area.

He stressed that the Bechem Traditional Council would use the festival to dialogue with government to translate the “Better Ghana Agenda” into concrete projects.

The Paramount Chief said the council had started economic ventures like palm oil and palm kernel extraction and soap production which needs to be expanded to provide employment for women in particular and the unemployed in general.

Nana Akoto said plans are far advanced to establish an indigenous company that would create jobs for the people. He implored citizens and friends of the traditional area to invest in the enterprises to advance socio-economic development.

He assured investors in small and medium scale businesses of the provision of land and the required customary support from the Traditional Council.

Nana Akoto said investors in the tourist industry could take advantage of the bamboo groove at Kwasu and the crocodiles in the Tano River, to engage in very lucrative economic ventures.

Mr Justice Samuel Adjei, Deputy Regional Minister said: “The litmus test of the area’s forward march... would be measured by how successful it has been able to fully exploit its natural human resources for the benefit of the people and the entire region.”

Mr Zakaria Bukari Anaba, the District Chief Executive pledged that the District Assembly would provide the necessary support to every investor to facilitate the processing of clay, which abounds in the area for the production of quality bricks for affordable housing projects.

He said Bechem Rural Technology Facility was able to manufacture tools and machinery for the processing of cassava, citrus and oil palm.