Togbi Sri III
The Awoamefia of Anlo Dukor, Togbi Sri III, has renewed his call for strategic investment in education, agriculture, and environmental protection as key pillars of Anlo’s transformation, urging citizens to unite behind a common vision for progress.
Speaking at the Grand Durbar of the 2025 Hogbetsotsoza Festival held at Anloga, the Awoamefia emphasised the need to upgrade the Ohawu Agricultural College into a full-fledged University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, positioning it as a centre of excellence for innovation and research within the Volta agricultural corridor.
“This initiative will anchor food security, youth employment, and research-led growth in our region,” he pointed out.
He said the future of Anlo’s prosperity rests on education-driven development.
He urged Anlos both at home and abroad to rekindle the enduring spirit of kinship and shared destiny that has long defined their people, stressing that true pride should be measured in the transformation of lives and communities rather than in display alone.
“Let our pride as Anlos be measured not only in dance and regalia but in lives changed, communities developed, and youth empowered,” he added.
Togbi Sri III also called for the continuation of the Blekusu-Keta Sea Defence Project, warning that unchecked coastal erosion poses a serious threat to lives, property, and economic activities along the Volta coast.
Representing President John Dramani Mahama, the Chief of Staff, Mr. Julius Debrah, reaffirmed government’s commitment to the development of the Volta Region. He commended the Anlo people for preserving their authentic culture and outlined several ongoing and upcoming initiatives, including the Keta Port Project, rice and aquaculture development, and the establishment of the University of the Blue Economy.
Mr. Debrah assured that government remains committed to addressing key issues such as tidal wave resettlement, educational infrastructure, and fisheries development, while pledging enhanced support for small and medium-scale enterprises (SMEs) in the fisheries sector through the Ghana Enterprises Agency (GEA).
National Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, urged traditional rulers to uphold peace and refrain from partisanship in chieftaincy matters.
“Our resources should go into development, not into maintaining troops to fight in chieftaincy troubles,” he cautioned, noting that politicisation undermines the sanctity of the chieftaincy institution.
Mr. Nketia lauded the Hogbetsotsoza as a festival of resilience and self-determination, calling on Ghanaians to draw inspiration from the Anlo people’s courage and unity.
The Akwamuhene, Odeneho Kwafo Akoto III, who was the Guest of Honour for the 2025 Hogbetsotsoza, commended the Anlo people for their resilience and rich cultural heritage, describing the Hogbetsotsoza as “a sacred remembrance of the wisdom and courage of ancestors who journeyed from oppression into freedom.”
“As we celebrate your heritage, we celebrate the strength of our Ghanaian identity. Unity is strength, and our traditions are treasures to be guarded,” he stated.
The 2025 Hogbetsotsoza Festival thus became not only a celebration of Anlo culture but also a clarion call for unity, innovation, and sustainable development across the Volta Region and beyond.
From Daniel K. Orlando, Anloga