This year's Kundum festival celebrated by the chiefs and people of the Ezinlibo in the Jomoro municipality of the Western Region, has been climaxed with the call for unity to develop the area.

The festival which is celebrated by the Ahantas and Nzema people of the Western Region, is an occasion to render thanksgiving to God for the abundance of food at the end of the harvest period.

The week-long celebration which was on the theme, "Festival catalyst for socio-cultural and economic development in the 21st century", was marked with activities such as keep fit exercise, clean up exercise, football gala competition, quiz competition, talented kids show, street jams, beach party, appellation songs, among others.

A fundraiser ceremony was held to raise funds to construct a modern market complex in the community.

Former Chief of Defence Staff in the erstwhile late John Evans Atta Mills administration, Lieutenant General Peter Augustine Blay, the Western Regional Navy Command, and some dignitaries graced the occasion.

Speaking at the durbar, Nana Kolora Blay IV, the Chief of Ezinlibo expressed his excitement over the celebration and also commended the planning committee for the great work done.

"I'm happy about this year's celebration, the planning committee has done great work and we must all commend them", he said.

He took the opportunity to call on his people to remain in unity and come together as one unit to develop the community.

"Division doesn't bring development in any community and I will urge you all to use this Kundum festival to unite for development, let us forgive ourselves and think about this community first", he urged.

He also charged students in the community to take their education seriously to become responsible citizens in the future.

Nana Kolora Blay IV seized the opportunity to commend the wife of Lieutenant General Peter Augustine Blay for supporting the community with GHC100,000 to aid in the construction of the market complex and others who also donated money to the community.

On his part, the Assembly Member of the community, Emmanuel Assuahchie commended the residents for participating in this year's Kundum Festival.

He pledged that the money raised from the fundraiser would be used to construct the community market complex so people who contributed towards the project would be happy to give more to the community.

The clan head (Abusuakpanyinli) of the community, Ehoah Kwasi thanked the wife of Lieutenant General Peter Augustine Blay for supporting the community.

He called on citizens of Ezinlibo who are living abroad to return home to support the community with developmental projects.

The residents composed appellation songs to commend a philanthropist called Alhaji Tophic who has been constructing physical projects for Jomoro, Ellembelle, and Nzema East.

"Alhaji Tophic is a generous man, he doesn't come from Nzema but he has done a lot of projects for the three Nzemaland, we remember very well that when General Blay was the Chief of Defense Staff, he brought him to Nzema to help us, he built a modern ICT centre at Half Assini Senior High School, he built a nice bus stop at Ezinlibo junction, he donated computers to Nkroful Agricultural Senior High School and Nsein Senior High School, we pray to God to give him long life wherever he is, we are proud of him", a resident said.