Emelia Arthur in a pose with Alban Bagbin
Made-In-Ghana Ambassador and gospel musician, Ms. Emelia Arthur and her management team, AdFirst Consult, have paid a courtesy call on the current Speaker of Parliament, Mr. Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin, to commend him on his bold made-in-Ghana dress sense.
The gospel musician and her delegation assured the Speaker of their support for the direction he has opted to go in terms of wearing locally-made clothes to work.
The AdFirst Consult officials that accompanied Emelia Arthur comprised its Director, Gabriel Arko; Mr. Timothy Antwi-Otoo, Mrs. Paulina Ofori Agyapong and Kwabena Gyakye Nyarko.
Speaking to the delegation during the visit at Parliament House, Speaker Bagbin said Ghana could enhance her fortunes in several ways with the creation of a strong national identity.
According to him, no nation can develop without its own identity, and it was important for Ghana to mould an identity for herself through areas like language, dressing and food, to help accelerate her march toward development.
“We also need to have an identity as individuals to be able to develop, and that is why I decided to change my style of dressing as the Speaker of Parliament, but some people do not understand that move,” Mr. Bagbin said.
He caught wide attention when in late January this year, he ditched the usual Speaker’s ceremonial outfit for a colourful Kente cloth over a white jumper and a gold-studded headgear to match.
Mr. Bagbin said at the time that the Parliament of Ghana should be able to do more at branding, showcasing and marketing Ghana to the world. He has continually worn made-in-Ghana clothes to work since then.
Commenting on the consumption of local food, Mr. Bagbin stated that Ghana has several nutritious foods which her people have abandoned for foreign tastes.
“Anytime I travel from the North to Accra, I bring Dawadawa because it has lots of useful nutrients,” Mr. Bagbin said.
He urged corporate bodies to support Ms. Emelia Arthur and her made-in- Ghana team to make more strides in their campaign.
He said companies support beauty pageants and football in this country, and it would be worthwhile for them to also extend sponsorship to the made-in-Ghana campaign.
The made-in-Ghana ambassador expressed gratitude to the Speaker and assured him of their determination to carry on with the campaign for more people to patronise made-in-Ghana goods and services.
By George Clifford Owusu