Seventeen German nationals have completed a comprehensive beadmaking training programme at the Cedi Bead Industry, located near Odumase Krobo in the Lower Manya Krobo municipality, focusing on the complex technique of crafting African glass beads. In an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr. Klaus Thusing, Head of the Group, said his team is currently embarking on a tour across various locations within the country. Their upcoming destination, Cedi Beads, has been selected as the next stop on their itinerary, where they aim to gain insights into the intricate process of bead production. ‘From beginning to end, I’ve learnt a lot about bead making. I learnt how it was crushed, how it is thrown in and out of the bead oven, and how it is polished when taken from the fire,’ he said. He said the valuable information from the bead industry would add to Ghana’s tourism industry when much spread out to the world, saying ‘it will attract a lot of investors to the country.’ He said obtaining a visa from Germany to Ghana is quite difficult and advised people to improve the bead sector to make it simpler and draw in more visitors. Because many people in Germany are unaware of Ghana’s tourist spots, he called on the government to promote Ghana tourism abroad. Additionally, the government and Ghana Tourism Authority should help the bead sector and promote Ghana overseas to attract more foreign investments. Mr. Nomoda Ebenezer Djaba, is the Chief Executive Officer of CEDI Beads and President of the Manya Krobo Bead Association, and a founding member of the Ghana Bead Society and the International Society of Glass Bead Makers. He spoke with the Ghana News Agency on the importance of the bead industry, adding numerous foreigners from the United Kingdom, America, Finland, and other nations have been coming to him for training and seminars on African bead production. He said this in an interview with Ghana News Agency. ‘Through bead making, I’ve been able to travel the world for workshops and give lectures on African bead making at more than 20 universities abroad,’ he said. He revealed plans to establish a large-scale bead theatre and museums aimed at educating individuals on the intricate process of bead production. He highlighted the potential benefits of incorporating bead making into the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) curriculum at various educational levels. According to him, such a move by the government could significantly impact job creation and poverty reduction. He expressed the belief that the bead industry could potentially boost the tourism sector, suggesting that the government should consider organising an annual bead festival akin to the Ghana month festivities held in March. ‘My remarkable achievement in bead making made the queen of Denmark visit my workplace here in Odumase in 2017, so if the government will listen to my plea, then the beads festival alone can raise the bar of the tourism industry because Ghana is the home of quality citadel beads,’ he said. He said like the high influx of tourists and foreigners to Ghana during the year of return and beyond the return, the bead festival has the potential to attract even greater numbers if the government allocates more resources towards its promotion.
Source: Ghana News Agency