The Mfantseman-Saltpond Development Alliance (MSDA) has launched its maiden Easter Festival Exposition to promote local businesses, showcase cultural and historic heritage, and stimulate tourism to drive the transformation of the ancient coastal city.
The expo was featured a massive health walk, brass band music performances, cultural performances, music expo, children and adult entertainment activities, sports, and other activities to crown the Easter festivities.
More importantly, the expo hosted some 21 exhibitors into food, fashion, digital device accessories, insurance and financial services, art, among other enterprises to expose and connect them with customers and investors.
Held on the theme: “Celebrate, connect and contribute: Saltpond rising again,” it was a colourful moment of celebration and true connections which set the tone for collaboration and active community participation to foster real growth.
Mr Ernest De-Graft Egyir, President of the Alliance and Founding CEO of Chief Executives Network Ghana, explained that the Easter festival expo was intended to encourage entrepreneurship, strengthen community engagement and reposition Salttpond for transformational growth.
Taking inspiration from the resurrection of Christ, he indicated it was time to revive the city of Saltpond through collective responsibility, reiterating the economic, developmental and communal benefits of the expo.
Mr Egyir made an urgent called for rapid infrastructural development in Saltpond to lay the foundation for expedited growth, lamented the lack of adequate facilities in the city.
He raised an urgent concern about the alleged illegal sales of public lands reserved for school and other public facilities in Saltpond and called for a stop to it.
“Government is embarking on the construction of so many social amenities. If we don’t stem this, there will be no lands for government to do any project for us,” he warned.
He highlighted the tourism potential of Saltpond and the need to leverage same.
In the regard, he pledged the Alliance’s resolve to establish a tourism office to drive tourism in the historic city.
Mr Egyir implored the youth to leverage the expo and channel their energies and innovation to the development of Saltpond.
The MSDA President touted some contributions to the Alliance, including the construction of a water system for the Saltpond Municipal Hospital and called on all stakeholders to support their cause.
Dr Ebenezer Prince Arhin, the Member of Parliament for Mfantseman, commended the alliance for the initiative and expressed his commitment to the cause, citing the opportunities for young businesses in the municipality.
He also applauded them for alleviating the water challenges at the Mfantseman Municipal Hospital.
“This is a significant move by these young men women determined to move our beloved citu forward. We must begin connecting the dots to think about how we can create something bigger for Mfantseman,” he said.
He revealed that a mini harbour will be constructed to aid the aqua transportation of lithium when the mining of the mineral begins in Ewoyaa.
He noted that the harbour is a new component of the lithium agreement to protect the road network area, indicating that feasibility study will conducted in 6 months for the construction of the harbour.
On the lithium mining about to begin in Ewoyaa, the member of parliament for Mfantseman, Dr. Ebenezer Prince Arhin, explained the components of the ratification.
Emmanuella Simmons, a sales person with Elisak collection, underscored the importance of the collection and called for corporation among all stakeholders to make the expo bigger next year.
