The Bono East Regional Minister, Francis Owusu Antwi, has urged Ghanaians to come together to honor the resilience of those who endured the harsh moments of trans-Atlantic slave trade and work towards a brighter future.
In a speech read on his behalf on July 20, 2025 by the Municipal Chief Executive of Kintampo North Isaac Donkor during the region’s 17th PANAFEST and Emancipation durbar held in Bono Manso, the minister emphasized the importance of collective action towards justice and unity.
“On this great occasion, let us come together as one people, think of how to honour the resilience of those who endured slavery, reflect on the legacy left behind, inspire collective action towards justice and unity and not dwell in it but rather focus on enhancing our own future development for the unborn to benefit and change the narratives.”
Highlighting government’s commitment in ensuring that the tourist sector under his regime also witness the reset agenda, Mr. Antwi explained that President John Dramani Mahama as part of his big plan for the creative industry, is developing the creative arts and tourism sector, citing the Black Star Experience initiative which is aims to promote cultural heritage by preserving Ghana’s rich cultural heritage through heritage site restoration and cultural infrastructure developmen, including the heritage sites in the Bono East Region.
In addition, he said the president is also working to foster economic growth by investing in infrastructure in order to create jobs for the youth in the tourism and creative arts sector, which will in turn to stimulate local artistic production, and provide investment opportunities.
The minister encouraged Ghanaians, especially those from the Bono East Region to focus on enhancing their future development for the benefit of future generations and to change the narratives of the past, which he belies is susceptible to building the Ghana they want.
“The Black Star experience initiative will also involve series of festivals, art exhibitions, tourism expos and showcase of talents to create reliable eco-system for creatives and entrepreneurs.”
“In addition, the programme is also an initiative to create jobs for our youth in the tourism and creative arts sector, preserve our cultural heritage, revitalize the creative arts fund to support creative arts initiatives and enforce local content provisions to stimulate local artistic production.” He stressed
Meanwhile the Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) Ekow Sampson said GTA in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts (MoTCCA) has mapped and documented the Bono Manso Heritage site for inclusion in Ghana’s national inventory of heritage attractions, noting thatplans are underway for infrastructure improvement, including the provision of visitor facilities, signage, interpretation centers, and improvement of road access.
To ensure that the story of Bono Manso is preserved and narrated accurately, Mr. Ekow Sampson indicated that the Authority would work closely with historians, local communities, and traditional leaders, includingcollecting oral histories and supporting cultural research to create engaging and authentic visitor experiences.
The Bono Manso Slave Market Site during the transatlantic slave trade, served as a hub where enslaved Africans from Ghana, Hani, Kintampo, Kunso and Northern Ghana not excluding places like Salaga and Pikworo were sorted and graded before transporting them to the coastal ports for shipment to the Americas; Caribbean and other Countries.
The region can also boast of tourism sites; which include, the Manso Slave Market Site, Kintampo Waterfalls, Kintampo Fuller Falls, the Monkey Sanctuary at Fiema, the Bat Colony at Buoyem, the Centre of Ghana at Kintampo among others
The Panafest and Emancipation day programme 2025, themed “Let us speak of reparative Justice-pan African Artistic Activism is to commemorate the resilience of African Ancestors honour their liberation from slavery and advocate for reparative Justice through artistics expression.
