Reverend Richard Tagoe was carried shoulder-high through Abotakyi’s main streets on October 12 after being enstooled Amanonehene of the Akuapem Traditional Area in Ghana’s Eastern Region. The 44-year-old International Central Gospel Church minister took the traditional title Nana Ohene Tagoe I with a pledge to mobilise the diaspora for the town’s development.
The ceremony at the Abotakyi chief’s palace combined drumming, dancing, and cheers as Nana Ohene Tagoe swore allegiance to the town’s chief, Nana Kwame Sakyi Ababio II. The Amanonehene title is newly introduced by the traditional council to boost connections with indigenes living abroad and encourage their financial support for local projects.
Nana Kwame Sakyi Ababio II said the council selected Tagoe because of his previous backing of the town and a reputation for generosity. “We decided to introduce such a title in the traditional area to help us mobilise the needed funds from the diaspora,” he said. He added that the reverend minister had been recommended by someone familiar with his contributions and urged him to be truthful in raising funds. “I believe that as a reverend minister, you will be truthful in all your undertakings when soliciting for financial support from the diaspora for the development of the town,” he said.
Tagoe, a businessman based in Belgium, said his appointment would help attract investors and create jobs. “I accept to be Amanonehene to bring in investors, business-minded people who will develop the town. I will help get the youth employed and reduce the unemployment and teenage pregnancy rate in town,” he told Accra Posts. He aims to connect Abotakyi with business-minded people willing to invest in infrastructure and livelihood projects.
The Amanonehene title is intended to promote the welfare of indigenes living abroad while mobilising their support for development projects. It is one of several initiatives across Ghana where traditional leaders seek to engage their diaspora populations for economic opportunities and community growth.
Nana Ohene Tagoe’s appointment illustrates how towns like Abotakyi are turning to their global communities for investment and development, reflecting a growing trend in Ghana’s Eastern Region.
According to Joy Online.
