Anomabu (c/r), Feb. 21, GNA - The Mfantseman District Golden Jubilee Independence Anniversary Planning Committee has organised a number of programmes to instil the spirit of patriotism in school children.

As part of the programme, Mr. J.B. Crayner, a Historian and author of a number of Fante books, has given a talk on the struggle for independence with particular reference to the roles of people from the district.

It was organised for the children in all the five traditional areas in the district, Nkusukum, Abeadze Dominase, Ekumfi Anomabo and Mankessim.

Mr Robert Quainoo-Arthur, District Chief Executive who is the Chairman and other members of the Committee supported Mr. Crayner. The children were sensitised on the formation of the Fante Confederacy at Mankessim, the signing of the Bond of 1844 at Fomena village near Anomabo and the Aborigines Rights Protection Society, which opposed the land bill enacted by the colonial administration. How the United Gold Coast Convention UGCC was started in Sekondi as a movement but finally gained grounds at Saltpond and the formation of the Convention People's Party (CPP) also at Saltpond.... Mr. Crayner told the school children about personalities like Kantamanto Tufuantse Amonoo V, a Chief of Anomabo, Joseph Wilson Sey popularly known as Kwaw Abonyi, Albion Mends, Kofi Baako and many others who hailed from the district and the roles that they played in the struggle for independence.

George Grant, alias Paa Grant and others who did not hail from the area but later settled at Saltpond as a businessman but joined the struggle for self-government.

The enthusiastic children asked a lot questions including why after gaining independence, some people still relied on the colonial masters and others for financial support.

A questioner wanted to know why CPP, which led the country to independence was not allowed to continue ruling the nation. The talk was interspersed with patriotic songs.

Briefing the Ghana News Agency after the talk at Anomabo, Nana Attapim Kweenu, a Member of the Committee and Presiding Member of the District Assembly, said the programme was necessary to make the young ones know that independence was not won on a silver platter. This would make them see the need to defend Ghana's sovereignty at all times, he said.

Some of them will hold key positions in future and they must be guided by history to enable them build upon what our forefathers had achieved, the Presiding Member stated.