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SAMREBOI: THE BIGGEST MAY DAY CELEBRATION HUB IN GHANA
1st May is one of the biggest day celebrations in Ghana and across the world. The holiday is also known as International Worker’s Day or Labour Day. In Ghana, many people are aware that the 1st of May is Workers’ Day which is annually commemorated with a match past by various workers’ groups in all regional capitals.
May Day in Ghana
Ghanaian workers observed their first May Day in 1960 and Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah, was declared the “First Number One Worker” and decorated with a May Day Award by the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Under the leadership of the Union’s Secretary -General, Mr J.K. Tettegah.
The May Day celebration was suspended for a year in 1966 following the first military coup which toppled Dr Nkrumah’s Government in February of that year. The celebration was resumed a year later in 1967.
Since then, the day has been used by workers to share their grievances with the government while the government has used the platform to assure the working class of its commitment to creating a conducive environment for workers.
Different towns and regions embrace the day with joy. However, one town in Ghana which has gained recognition on this great day is Samreboi in the Wassa Amenfi West Municipality of the Western Region.
Some towns in Ghana are known for certain big events that happen in the country. For instance, Bibiani is famous for 6th March celebration whilst Kwahu is the talk of the town during the Easter holidays.
Samreboi is also unmatched during May Day celebration.
Why do the people of Samreboi place much premium on this day?
Samreboi has the biggest Timber and Plywood Company in Ghana called Samartex.
May Day is basically the Samreboi festival and that is the only holiday they observe fully aside from Christmas.
It has a history dating back to the AT&P days when workers had real fun as part of the Workers Day celebration.
It all started with the celebration of Workers Day. This day attracts visitors especially ladies as the month has just ended and more cash is in the pocket. To make things fun-filled, inter-department games were introduced and the highlight of this is drastically slashed prices of drinks by the then ATP a tradition well followed and made even better.
Samartex now uses the occasion to reward long-serving and best workers with fantastic prices and also brings down celebrated musicians to entertain the workers.
Musicians that have Spiced up the Samreboi May Day Show in recent years
2017 – Samini & Pat Thomas
2018 – Stonebwoy
2022 – Kofi Kinaata
And guess who’s on Bill this year 2023? The cherry on the cake this year is Sarkodie.
May Day at Samreboi by Samartex & Timber Plywood Co. Ltd. is always captivating. It’s always a free show thrilling performance to entertain workers at Samreboi and its surroundings. People also travel from far places to enjoy the occasion.
Brief History of the Samartex Timber and Plywood Company Limited
Samartex Timber & plywood company limited was established in 1995
Hitherto, the company was known as African Timber & Plywood Company (AT&P) which had been in existence since 1947 under the UAC group of companies. Samartex Timber & Plywood Company Limited took over AT&P at a time when it was saddled with a myriad of problems including mismanagement and a disastrous fire outbreak, which had left the company’s facilities in chaos.
From 1995 Samartex Timber & Plywood Company Limited has transformed through a massive programme of investment and rehabilitation to become the leading sustainable and socially responsible timber company in Ghana.
Samartex is located in Samreboi Western Region, and it has a workforce of about 2000 employees with offices in Accra and Takoradi.
Besides wood processing, Samartex is also involved in the regeneration of the natural resources at its disposal through the establishment of plantation and agroforestry schemes. Samartex has evolved into the development of value-added products with non-timber forest products (NTFPs) like Thaumatin sweetener and downstream processing of wood pieces that would otherwise be considered waste into carvings.
Samartex products go beyond the environment. Their social development programs contribute to water, health care (hospital), and educational facilities like kindergarten, schools, and vocational training, through to a football team to the communities they work with.
