Ghana’s south-western coastline became the meeting point of history, diplomacy and cultural heritage on Saturday, July 26, 2026, as foreign diplomats, a senior UNESCO official and members of the international community embarked on a historic tour of Ahanta West’s centuries-old forts and landmarks during the 2026 Ahanta Heritage Month celebrations.

 The Ahanta Heritage Month spanned throughout the whole of July 2026. 

The tour, one of the flagship events of the 2026 Ahanta Heritage Month celebrations, brought together ambassadors, traditional leaders, heritage enthusiasts, and a vibrant contingent of students and young people from schools across the Ahanta West Municipality. 

The intergenerational and multicultural gathering transformed the excursion into a powerful journey of remembrance, education and cultural diplomacy.

Organised by the Member of Parliament for Ahanta West, Mavis Kuukua Bissue, the carefully curated itinerary took participants to the historic Fort Gross Friedrichsburg at Princes Town, the iconic Cape Three Points, and Fort Batenstein in Butre before concluding with a courtesy call on the Chief of Butre at his palace.

The tour began at Fort Gross Friedrichsburg, one of the least-known but most historically significant European forts on Ghana’s coastline.

 Constructed in the late seventeenth century by the Brandenburg African Company, the imposing fortress remains one of the few colonial forts on the Gold Coast built by a German state, rather than the Portuguese, Dutch or British powers that dominated much of the coast. 

Perched majestically above Princes Town, the fort offers sweeping views of the Atlantic Ocean and stands as a silent witness to centuries of trade, diplomacy and conflict.

From Princes Town, the delegation travelled to Cape Three Points, mainland Ghana’s southernmost tip, where participants enjoyed panoramic views from the historic lighthouse while taking refreshments against the breathtaking backdrop of the Gulf of Guinea.

 Renowned for its dramatic coastline, pristine rainforest and maritime significance, the location offered visitors a glimpse into the natural landscape that shaped centuries of seafaring and commerce along Ghana’s western coast.

The final stop carried profound historical symbolism. At Fort Batenstein in Butre, visitors explored the former administrative headquarters from which Dutch colonial authorities managed their relations with the Ahanta Kingdom.

 The fort remains forever linked to one of the defining moments in Ahanta history, the resistance and subsequent execution of Otumfuo Nana Badu Bonsu II in 1838. 

The delegation concluded its visit with a traditional courtesy call on the Chief of Butre, honouring the customs of the historic Ahanta state.

The heritage tour attracted an impressive international delegation, highlighting growing global interest in Ghana’s historical role in the transatlantic slave trade and its enduring connections with the African diaspora.

Among the distinguished participants were Barbados’ High Commissioner to Ghana, H.E. Juliette Bynoe-Sutherland, Suriname’s Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Fidelia Graand-Galon, and UNESCO’s Representative to Ghana, Edmond Moukala N’Gouemo, whose organisation continues to champion the preservation of Ghana’s forts and castles as World Heritage Sites and enduring symbols of shared human history.

Also joining the delegation was the Divisional Chief of Agona, together with heritage officials who guided participants through the historical significance of each location.

Interwoven with the diplomatic delegation were busloads of schoolchildren, students and youth from the Ahanta West Municipality, many visiting the forts for the very first time as well as members of Ghana’s international community. 

Their participation underscored the organisers’ commitment to making heritage education accessible to younger generations while fostering greater cross-cultural understanding.

The sequence of destinations was deliberately designed to tell the complete story of Ahanta’s engagement with European powers from the establishment of fortified trading posts in the seventeenth century, through the strategic maritime importance of Cape Three Points, to the tragic events surrounding the resistance of Nana Badu Bonsu II at Butre.

The tour also served as a prelude to the unveiling of a bronze statue in honour of the revered Ahanta king at Agona Nkwanta the following day, providing visiting dignitaries with valuable historical context before participating in the official commemorative ceremonies.

For Mavis Kuukua Bissue, the driving force behind the Ahanta Heritage Month initiative, the heritage tour represents a broader vision of repositioning Ahanta West as one of Ghana’s premier heritage tourism destinations.

By showcasing the municipality’s remarkable collection of European forts alongside globally recognised sites such as Cape Coast and Elmina Castles, the initiative seeks not only to preserve an important chapter of Ghana’s history but also to strengthen cultural and historical ties with nations across the African diaspora whose stories remain inseparably linked to this historic coastline.

The Member of Parliament (MP) for Wa West, Mr Peter Lanchene Toobu, has called for calm and urged the Ghana Police Service to conduct a thorough and impartial investigation into the death of Abu Tijani, popularly known as “master one”, who reportedly died while in police custody.

The MP made the call at a press briefing in Wa on Thursday, describing the incident as one that had generated public concern and underscoring the need for transparency to maintain public confidence. 

Mr Toobu said the death of Abu Tijani, who had been declared wanted in connection with the protracted Lassia Tuolu-Kendeu conflict and was arrested on July 25, 2026, should be investigated in accordance with the laws of Ghana.

He also appealed to the Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice to ensure the fair, impartial and expeditious prosecution of all cases arising from the conflict, stressing that justice must be served without fear or favour because “crime is individualistic and not communal.” 

The MP recounted that the communal conflict, which erupted on June 15, 2024, claimed three lives, left several people injured, destroyed properties and disrupted the long-standing peaceful coexistence between the two communities.

He explained that although security agencies restored calm and a mediation process led by the Upper West Regional Minister and Chairman of the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), Charles Lwanga Puozuing, had made progress, the process suffered a setback after two young men from Bakpateng near Lassia Tuolu were murdered in Kendeu on November 23, 2025. 

According to Mr Toobu, police arrested 10 suspects following the incident, with nine later granted bail while one remained in custody in connection with the alleged murders. Further investigations subsequently identified additional suspects, including Abu Tijani, who had evaded arrest until his apprehension in July this year. 

The MP said he visited Wechiau on Wednesday to assess the security situation, where he met the Paramount Chief and his Council of Elders, received security briefings and inspected a house that had been set ablaze by some youth during the disturbances. 

Expressing condolences to families who had lost relatives in the conflict, Mr Toobu said the communities should not continue to lose their young people to violence, adding that poverty, disease, unemployment, deprivation and illiteracy remained the real enemies confronting the area.

He urged residents to refrain from spreading unverified information, inflammatory comments and hate speech, particularly on social media, warning that rumours could further inflame tensions. 

Mr Toobu further appealed to the factions involved in the conflict to return to the mediation table under the auspices of REGSEC, saying lasting peace could only be achieved through dialogue, compromise and reconciliation.

He also called on the people of Lassia Tuolu, Kendeu, Wechiau and neighbouring communities to cooperate with security agencies and reject reprisal attacks, while commending the security personnel for their professionalism and sacrifice in protecting lives and property. 

The MP appealed to traditional authorities, religious leaders, women, youth groups and civil society organisations to become ambassadors of peace and work together to restore trust and promote lasting peace in Wa West.

A statement issued by the Upper West Regional Police Command on Tuesday said the suspect, had been on its wanted list after allegedly evading arrest on May 11, 2026, and going into hiding despite appeals through the Paramount Chief of Wechau and community elders for him to assist investigations.

 Police said he resisted arrest when he was eventually apprehended, injuring two officers before being subdued.

During interrogation, the suspect allegedly admitted involvement in the case and told investigators that the two victims were initially buried in Wechau before he and his alleged accomplices exhumed and reburied the bodies across the Black Volta River in Burkina Faso to conceal the crime.

Police later escorted him to the alleged original burial site, about three kilometres west of Wechau, but an excavation yielded no human remains. He reportedly maintained that the bodies had been moved days after the initial burial.

The statement said that while investigators were later escorting the suspect to identify the location of one of his alleged accomplices along the Nakore Road, he complained of a severe headache.

 The operation was halted and he was rushed to the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Hospital in Wa, where he was admitted at about 1:00 p.m. but was pronounced dead at 4:37 p.m. despite receiving medical treatment.

BY GORDON WELLU