Mr Joel Degue, a tourism expert and advocate, has called for the transformation of Ewe Kente weaving in Klikor and Agbozume into a sustainable tourism and economic development enterprise while preserving its cultural identity.
He made the call at the Denneny Kente Foundation’s World Tourism Day celebration at Klikor Satsuma on Sunday,
The World Tourism Day celebration has the global theme: Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism.
The celebration in Klikor was organised to promote Ewe Kente and highlight its cultural and economic significance.
Mr Degue said Kente was more than a piece of cloth, describing it as a repository of cultural knowledge, identity, skills and traditions passed down through generations, while providing employment and livelihoods for communities.
He proposed the Klikor-Agbozume Digital Kente Heritage Project to document weaving techniques, designs, oral histories, apprenticeship traditions, tools and production processes, and establish a digital archive and heritage map.
The proposal also includes an online marketplace through which artisans could sell authentic Kente directly to customers in Ghana and abroad, while providing information on the artisans, designs, materials and cultural significance of the products.
Mr Degue had further proposed a Klikor-Agbozume Kente Heritage Trail, featuring weaving workshops, loom experiences, design galleries, markets, Ewe cuisine and cultural activities, as well as digital heritage experiences.
He said the initiative could create opportunities for weavers, tour guides, photographers, designers, digital entrepreneurs, restaurants and other businesses.
He said the proposal placed the youth at the centre through Kente innovation and apprenticeship centres, where young people could acquire skills in weaving, fashion, e-commerce, digital marketing, artificial intelligence, entrepreneurship, financial literacy and tourism management.
Mr Degue also advocated the responsible use of artificial intelligence to promote and document Kente while protecting traditional knowledge, cultural ownership and the intellectual property rights of artisans.
He said a Klikor-Agbozume Kente Heritage Development Compact had also been proposed, covering heritage documentation, a heritage centre, digital marketplace, youth skills development, authenticity certification, an annual Kente Heritage Festival and partnerships with research institutions.
He said the long-term vision was to make Klikor and Agbozume recognised destinations where visitors could experience authentic Ewe Kente, learn the craft, interact with artisans and contribute to local economic development while ensuring its preservation for future generations.
Mr Daniel Selorm Akakpovia, the General Secretary of the Dumenenyo Kente Foundation, said the Foundation, established on July 6, 2022, was committed to promoting and preserving Ewe Kente, training young people in weaving and empowering women and community members through skills development and economic opportunities.
He said the Foundation had, with support from the Ketu South Municipal Assembly, participated in two Volta Region Investment and Exhibition Fairs, providing members with opportunities to display their products, interact with other producers and gain valuable exposure.
Mr Akakpovia said members had also participated in training programmes and workshops to improve their weaving skills, learn new techniques and respond to changing market trends.
He said the Foundation participated in the 2025 and 2026 Agortime Kente Festival (Agbamevorza) at Agortime-Kpetoe and had also received an invitation to participate in an exhibition in Nigeria.
He said the achievements demonstrated the potential of Ewe Kente to reach markets beyond the local communities and Ghana, adding that greater support, investment and collaboration could further strengthen the sector.
Mr Akakpovia, however, said the Foundation faced financial constraints, inadequate resources for expansion and the absence of a permanent centre where weavers could work, train others and showcase their products.
He said such a centre could serve as a living cultural and tourism facility where visitors could watch Kente being woven, learn about its history and significance, interact with artisans and purchase authentic products.
He said it could also provide young people with an opportunity to enter as learners and leave as skilled artisans, while visitors could leave as ambassadors for Ewe Kente.
Mr Akakpovia appealed to the Ketu South Municipal Assembly to consider establishing a dedicated annual budgetary allocation for Tourism Day activities to ensure sustained attention to tourism, culture and related economic activities.
He also appealed to the Klikor and Somè Traditional Councils to support the Foundation financially and provide a broader platform for cultural and tourism activities within the traditional area.
On the proposed 24-Hour Economy Market, he appealed to the Ketu South Municipal Assembly to consider allocating the Foundation a store and appropriate space when the market was completed.
He said the space could serve as a Kente Market and Demonstration Centre, where visitors could purchase authentic Kente products and experience the art of weaving first-hand.
Mr Akakpovia called for stronger collaboration among traditional authorities, government, local assemblies, tourism institutions, development partners, businesses and civil society organisations to promote and sustain Ewe Kente.
He said the collective effort should focus on creating opportunities for young people, empowering women, supporting artisans, opening markets for Kente products and preserving the cultural heritage for future generations.
The programme brought together Kente weavers from Klikor, Agbozume and surrounding communities, entrepreneurs and tourists, including visitors from Germany and India.
It also featured an exhibition of Ewe Kente cloths, with artisans demonstrating the traditional weaving process as they worked on their looms.
Source: GNA
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