The Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey, has received the Gbese Mantse Homowo Peace Cup ahead of this year’s Homowo festival celebrations.
The sports event is being organised under the auspices of the Gbese Mantse, His Royal Majesty Nii Ayi-Bonte II, as part of activities aimed at promoting peace, unity, and the rich Ga culture through sports.
Receiving the trophy on Wednesday at the Accra City Hall, Mayor Allotey expressed his excitement and appreciation to the organisers for bringing the tournament to the attention of the city authorities, adding that the event was a strong symbol of peace and togetherness, needed for development in the city.
“We all need peace, because without peace, we cannot run Accra. Without peace, nobody can go and run a business,” he said.
The Mayor also praised the Gbese Mantse for his wisdom and visionary leadership in using football as a tool for peace and cultural promotion stressing that the Ga land belongs to the Ga people and commended the traditional authority for setting a good example for the youth.
He pledged his support for the tournament and was hopeful that his favourite team, Accra Hearts of Oak, would emerge victorious.
“I will do everything I can to support this programme so that Hearts can win this Cup,” he said.
The Mayor, who described the presentation as his third since assuming office, expressed optimism about retaining the Cup in Accra and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to promoting peace through inclusive events and cultural engagement.
On his part, Samuel Anim Addo, one of the lead organisers of the Homowo Peace Cup, called on residents of Accra to participate fully in the celebration and continue supporting the Mayor’s down-to-earth leadership.
He highlighted that the tournament, organised in partnership with the National Youth Authority (NYA) and other government institutions, serves as a unifying platform for the youth and a way of creating employment opportunities.
Mr. Anim also used the opportunity to commend the Ga Mantse for initiating the programme, which will see popular local teams, including Hearts of Oak and Hearts of Lions, compete for the coveted Cup.
AMA