The Fiaga of Dodome Traditional Area in the Ho West District of the Volta Region, Togbe Kpangbatriku IV, has called on all people in his jurisdiction to work towards unity and development with commitment and dedication.
According to him, it is an undeniable fact that there is dignity and honor in community service, so it is important for everyone to get involved in the development of Dodome.
Speaking at the 2024 Dodome Agadzi Festival, he said it is his vision to promote education in Dodome.
“It is a fact that no community in Dodome has a second-cycle institution, and it is therefore my fervent desire to have a Technical/Vocational Institute in one of our communities. This will enable young citizens to access technical and vocational skills so they can enter the world of work.
“Thank God we have an Educational Board in place, which is the Dodome Education Endowment Fund (DODEEF). I therefore charge DODEEF to develop policy guidelines toward achieving the dream of establishing a Technical/Vocational Training School in Dodome in the not-too-distant future,” Togbe Kpangbatriku IV said.
In addition to the school, he noted his next focus would be on discipline.
“It is through discipline that progress is achieved. Indiscipline has started to rear its ugly head in our communities of late. Over the years, Dodome has been a reference point in terms of discipline among its neighbors.
“Today, what we are witnessing has no bearing on the status of what Dodome used to be, and we cannot achieve the theme of the festival amidst indiscipline. Dodome can no longer boast of its historic and patriotic achievers. We need to reverse the trend of disrespect toward authority,” he stated.
He continued, “I am urging the ‘Sorhefiawo’ (Youth Chiefs) to be up to the task in fighting indiscipline in the various communities. My chiefs should equally be up to the agenda of instilling and upholding fairness in their customary adjudication toward the youth. This will go a long way to cure the sense of bias and selective judgment towards the youth, which breeds indiscipline against the Traditional Authorities.”
He seized the opportunity to call on the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ho West, noting that the community’s utmost desire is to see the completion of the road linking Dzolo-Gbogame with Kpedze through Dodome towns. He appealed to the DCE’s office to ensure the early completion of this stalled road project.
He appealed to the politicians, saying that as the 2024 election approaches, they should make it a point to assist in any developmental projects the community decides to execute.
He also called on the residents not to allow any politician to bring disunity among them before or after the elections.
On his part, the Member of Parliament for the Ho West Constituency, Mr. Emmanuel Bedzrah, also delivered a speech at the ceremony, praising the Dodome community as one of the best in the constituency, where prominent individuals come from.
He expressed his disappointment with the Volta Regional Minister, Dr. Yao Archibald Letsa, for not joining the Dodome community in celebrating their historic festival.
He called on the residents of Dodome to vote massively for John Dramani Mahama as the next president of Ghana and to retain Mr. Bedzrah to continue the developmental projects in the constituency.
The festival was held under the theme, “Unity, Commitment, and Development.”