Hot!
Kwahu goes frenzy …as revelers celebrate Easter at Paragliding Festival
A cross-section of chiefs seated during the opening of the Kwahu Easter Paragliding Festival
The Kwahu Township was thrown into a carnival mood when hundreds of tourists stormed the area to celebrate the 2024 Kwahu Easter Paragliding Festival that ended on Monday, April 1.
The four-day celebration which kicked off on Friday (Good Friday) attracted visitors from all corners of the country and beyond the country’s borders.
It was used to commemorate the Easter celebration of Christians.
The climax of the celebration was the paragliding session that saw a huge number of revelers queue for that lifetime experience flying across the mountainous Kwahu area.
With seasoned pilots including Jonathan Quaye from Ghana, Chuck Smith, Blake Pelton and Ed Stein from the USA, Okada Naohisa from Japan, Eduardo Reategui from Peru, and Hagan Muhlich from Germany in attendance, tourists were assured of a beautiful experience of having an aerial view of the Kwahu area topography.
A flight from the Odweanoma Mountain near Atibie in the Kwahu South Municipality of the Eastern region cost interested tourists GH¢1,000.
With a large crowd to applaud every move and skill displayed by the pilots, the tourists were flown beautifully across Mpraeso, Atibie, Obomeng and Abetifi mountains before landing safely at the Nkawkaw Sports Stadium.
One passenger and tourist, Abraham Smith told The Spectator he was glad to be part of the festival and revealed that he had a lot to tell family and friends about his exciting experience.
In his view, the festival was exciting and a lot of people must be told about it to also enjoy that experience of a lifetime.
Aside the paragliding and other fun activities, there was a boom in economic activities at the site as food, water and other vendors cashed in on the occasion.
One boiled egg seller, Akosua Antwi shared with The Spectator how her wares got sold up and had to rush home to get more to sell.
“I sold a crate of boiled eggs in no time and had to go home to prepare more for sale. This activity boosts sales and economic activities in the area. I wish the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA) would sustain it and add other activities to explore the tourism potential in the area,” she added.
Opening the festival, the Minister-designate for Tourism, Arts and Culture, Mr Andrew Egyapa Mercer recognised its significance and impact on the local economy of Kwahu and highlighted its contribution to revenue generation through employment creation for the Kwahu people.
He said the festival has also allowed for cultural heritage preservation and environmental assets, and has enhanced the appeal of Kwahu as a tourist destination, leading to an increase in the number of visitors and generate revenue for the local tourism industry.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the GTA, Mr Akwasi Agyeman said the event has become the fulcrum for adventure and sightseeing activities that has attracted hundreds of tourists from all over the world to witness the paragliding festival since 2005.
“For instance, in 2016, we attracted 60 tourists and raised the peak to 248 in 2019 and since then, every year, the number keeps growing, thanks to the resilience of our pilots who have come in from all over the world and we acknowledge the work done by the community and assemblies as well.
He commended the Ministry of Roads and Highways for commencing the construction of the road leading to the paragliding sites and urged the contractor to expedite action and finish before the 2025 edition.
The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr. Seth Acheampong said the festival had become a hallmark of the region and has not only brought joy and excitement to all but also played a crucial role in boosting the tourism industry and contributed to the economic growth of the locals in the country.
Nana Kwadjo Boama, representative of the Chief of Kwahu Atibiehene, said the chiefs were excited about the event and its associated benefits and called on the authorities to develop the other tourist sites in the Kwahu enclave.
From Ama Tekyiwaa Ampadu Agyeman, Kwahu Atibie
The Ashanti South Regional Police Intelligence Directorate has arrested two suspects in connection with a robbery attack on an Indian national in Obuasi and a separately planned robbery operation targeting a distribution company in the same area.
On April 16, 2026, Police received credible intelligence that a group of armed men were planning an attack in Obuasi. A police team moved swiftly into the area and arrested suspect Iddrisu Fuseini, also known as “Iddi”, at his hideout in Bedieso, Obuasi.
During interrogation, he confessed to being part of a six-member gang that attacked an Indian national at his residence at New Baakoyeden, Obuasi, on April 12 2026, robbing him of GH₵150,000.00.
He disclosed that the attack was orchestrated following a tip-off from suspect Ibrahim, an employee of the victim, who informed the gang that the victim kept large sums of money.
Further investigations led to the arrest of a second suspect, Shaibu Mohammed, also known as “SM” or “Cicinati”, on 20th April 2026 at his hideout in Gausu, Obuasi. During interrogation, he admitted to participating in the planning of the robbery and confirmed that the gang had further planned to rob a distribution company near Mawuli Hotel in Obuasi.
Investigations have further revealed that both suspects are currently standing trial at the Obuasi Circuit Court in connection with a separate robbery of GH₵600,000.00.
A manhunt is ongoing to arrest the remaining accomplices, identified as Khalifa, Edward, Prof, Waddle, Ebbe, and Ibrahim, and to recover a pump action gun and a locally manufactured pistol believed to be in their possession.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, together with members of the Police Management Board (POMAB), on April 17, 2026, decorated nineteen (19) senior officers who have been promoted to their next ranks based on the recommendations of the Police Council and approval of the President, John Dramani Mahama.
The ceremony, held at the National Police Headquarters in Accra, forms part of efforts to recognise merit, dedication, and long-standing service within the Ghana Police Service, while strengthening leadership across key operational and administrative levels.
The officers promoted from Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) to Commissioner of Police (COP) are Dr. Luke Asue-In-Yeng Zakpaa, Mr. Frederick Agyei, Mr. Duuti Tuaruka, Mr. Arthur Osei-Akoto, Mr. Darko Offei Lomotey, Mr. Eric Ken Winful, Mr. Barnabas Nambont Nasumong, and Mr. Desmond Owusu Boampong.
The IGP and members of POMAB congratulated the officers and urged them to uphold the highest standards of professionalism and integrity in the discharge of their duties.
Entertainment1 week agoDeals, Crowds, and Big Wins: Dulcie Boateng’s Porials Pitch 2026 Returns This Weekend
- News2 days ago
Okudzeto Ablakwa engages South African International Relations Minister over Xenophobic attacks
- Entertainment1 week ago
Guinness Ghana Introduces GH¢100,000 Prize for TGMA Album of the Year Winner
