Activities to mark the 30th anniversary of the coronation of the Benkumhene of the Akuapem Traditional Area of the Eastern Region alongside the upcoming Odwira festival for the people of Larteh have been launched.

The colourful ceremony held at the forecourts of the Millennium palace at Larteh saw in attendance many royalties from the various divisions in Okuapem who graced the occasion with their presence.

Osabarima Asiedu Okoo Ababio III, who is also the chief of Ahenease, was enstooled in August 1993.

The celebrations, which began with the launch, will be climaxed alongside the Odwira festival slated for September 25 to 30, 2023 with a grand durbar at Larteh on September 30, 2023.

Announcing the impending activities during the launch of the event at Larteh on Wednesday, July 26, 2023 to the people of the Benkum Division of Larteh, Okuapeman and the country at large, the chairperson for the anniversary and the Odwira planning committee, Baffour Odei Agyei I, Larteh Abontendomhene and Akuapim Benkum Abontendomhene noted that notable projects have been initiated ahead of the events.

These include renovation and painting of the nurses’ quarters, the upholstery and painting of the Larteh clinic and some renovations of the millennium palace at Larteh.

Asked what new chapter the anniversary would open for the people of Larteh, she said, “the next chapter would be trying to have a united Larteh, we’re also very concerned about our road network.”

Aside from this, Baffour Odei Agyei I, also identified the need for more places of convenience and boreholes for the people which urgent steps must be taken to provide for their use.

The Larteh Abontendomhene urged the people to ensure peace, unity and oneness for the progress of the area.

Speaking on indiscipline plaguing modern society, Osabarima Asiedu Okoo Ababio bemoaned the rising incidents of moral decadence among the youth.

“Okuapeman is going down, young men and women are engaged in improprieties that bring about no development…any community without discipline does not develop…the youth are disrespectful and insult the elderly,” he said.

Adding that the situation resulted in poor academic output in the area, the chief bemoaned how the community has over the years lost its identity as trailblazers of academic excellence but now positioning itself at the bottom of the academic ladder.

The Benkumhene also expressed regret at incidents of rampant stealing in the community and charged parents to deepen their responsibilities over their wards to enable them reach the set ultimate goals for themselves and their parents.

Citing his own success story at the audit service as a young man to drum home the essence of humility and encourage the youth to be humble, the chief recalled how he rose through the ranks in the service as a primary school leaver where he subsequently gained promotion to the grade of an executive officer after working for only three months, a feat he attributed to his reverence for the elderly.

He therefore charged them to eschew insolence but embrace modesty to enable them attain higher heights.

Special guest of honour at the event and Asuosomanhene, Nana Oko Kwagyan Sika Obrimpong II on his part stressed on the need to respect and maintain the country’s traditional and cultural values as well as the need to ensure the right upbringing of the youth to enable them to be acquainted with the customs and traditions of and appreciate these values.

He extolled the values of Osabarima Asiedu Okoo Ababio III and wished him well ahead of his anniversary and the years after.

Speaking on behalf of Kwame Bossman, the president of the Larteh Lobbying Group at the event, Yvonne Opokua Asiedu noted that though the road to the 30-year milestone was not easy, this had been made possible through the guidance and wisdom of God.

However, she expressed regret at the slow development of Larteh and encouraged the traditional leader to rally the people together to join hands to ensure development.

“It may interest you to know that the development in Larteh has been quite slow and we will be very grateful if you can use your distinguished and respected position to rally all natives of Larteh that matter to help bring development to the town,” Yvonne Opokua Asiedu said.

Other needs she identified in the community include the deplorable roads and the area’s investment opportunities such as its attractive geographical expanses, adding that these could be transformed into tourist sites to attract revenue for the community.