The Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), Abeiku Santana, has appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to consider Saltpond’s significant role in Ghana’s political history and host this year’s Founders’ Day celebration in the town on September 21.
Speaking to the media after the maiden Saltpond Homecoming Festival, Abeiku Santana, a native of Saltpond, emphasised that Ghana’s political history cannot be written without acknowledging Saltpond, describing the town as “the cradle of politics” in the country.
He explained that the United Gold Coast Convention (UGCC), Ghana’s first political party, was founded in Saltpond on August 4, 1947, ahead of independence. He added that the Convention People’s Party (CPP), led by Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and established in 1949, also had its roots in Saltpond.
The Saltpond Homecoming Festival, held under the theme “Reuniting Our Roots, Reimagining the Future,” was organized by the Mfantseman–Saltpond Development Alliance (MSDA) and spearheaded by its President, Osagyefo Ernest De-Graft Egyir.
The event brought together citizens from all walks of life to celebrate the town’s heritage and discuss its development prospects.
Abeiku Santana stressed that hosting the Founders’ Day celebration in Saltpond would not only honor the town’s historical legacy but also boost tourism and attract development to the area. He further called on traditional leaders and the youth of the Nkusukum Traditional Area to unite for the progress of Saltpond and rekindle the spirit of the Odambea Festival.
On his part, Osagyefo De-Graft Egyir, President of MSDA, highlighted the Alliance’s vision to rekindle community pride and unite the people of Saltpond to champion development projects.
“As President of the MSDA, I pledge to work hand in hand with chiefs, leaders, professionals, youth, and citizens to revamp the image of Saltpond,” he stated, urging traditional leaders in the Nkusukum Traditional Area to work together towards the town’s advancement.
Also present at the festival was the Member of Parliament for the Mfantseman Constituency, Dr. Ebenezer Prince Kojo Arhin, who announced that he had secured a contract for the construction of a mechanized borehole at the Saltpond Government Hospital.
The project, he said, would connect water to all wards and help solve the facility’s long-standing water crisis.
The event brought together several sons and daughters of Mfantseman, reflecting a renewed commitment to the growth, unity, and development of Saltpond.
