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Ntotroso celebrates annual Apomasu Yam Festival
THE chiefs and people of Ntotroso in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region on Saturday celebrated their Apomasu Yam Festival at Ntotroso amidst pomp and pageantry.
The colourful festival, which featured a week-long activities including traditional cultural rites, was held under the Theme: ‘Mining and Tradition: Building Resilient Communities through Sustainable and Responsible Mining.’
It attracted a lot of guests including chiefs, politicians, businessmen and women, foreigners, school children and members of the public amidst drumming and dancing.
The Apomasu Yam Festival, celebrated biennially, honours the Apomasu deity believed to safeguard the community’s wellbeing.
The festival also served as a fundraiser to support ongoing educational infrastructure projects initiated by the Ntotroso Traditional Council.
Addressing the people, Barima Twereku Ampem III, Paramount chief of Ntotroso, said the Apomasu festival was not merely a celebration of harvest, but signifies a spiritual homecoming as well as a moment of thanksgiving to the Almighty God and to the ancestors for protecting the land, blessing the farms, and sustaining them.
The festival, he noted, symbolises renewal of unity, purpose and collective responsibility to protect the land entrusted to us.
Touching on the menace of illegal mining activities, Barima Twereku Ampem, who is also the president of the Ahafo Regional House of Chiefs, pledged the support of the chiefs and people in the area to complement government’s efforts at finding a lasting solution to the problem.
According to him, illegal mining remains a threat not only to our environment but to national security and long-term development of the country.
He, however, urged the government to ensure strict enforcement of the law, in a fair, consistent and transparent manner so as to deal with the menace.
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, who led the government delegation, commended the chiefs and people of Ntotroso for organising a successful festival.
He praised their commitment to be accountable and transparent in their dealings with the people.
“Most leaders finds it difficult to be accountable to their people. What you have shown here is a demonstration of your commitment to honesty and integrity—a virtue that must be emulated by who aspire to lead,” he stated.
He later donated a cash of Gh₵100,000 to support the celebration.
After more than 300 years of existence, Ntotroso has seen a lot of changes both the social and economic fronts.
From a largely subsistence local economy, Ntotroso and other surrounding communities have now been placed on the global map of gold producing areas following the acquisition of mining concession in 2003 by Newmont Ahafo Mines.
From Daniel Dzirasah, Ntotroso
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The Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority, Edudzi Tameklo, has disclosed how he was appointed to the role, describing the process as sudden and unexpected.
He explained that on a Thursday evening, he received a call from the Secretary to the President, who requested that he forward his curriculum vitae for consideration.
Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV over the weekend, he indicated that the request suggested he was being considered for the position of CEO, prompting him to quickly retrieve and update his CV that same night to make it more presentable.
According to him, the process moved swiftly after that.
He noted that the following morning, he received another call inviting him in, where he was handed his appointment letter on January 17, 2025.
He added that he was among the first batch of chief executives appointed.
Mr Tameklo also addressed claims that his appointment was influenced by close ties to the First Lady, dismissing suggestions that the position had been reserved for him.
He maintained that there were no favourites in the process and described such claims as mere speculation.
He further explained that even within his political party, many people had expected him to be appointed as a Deputy Attorney General rather than head the National Petroleum Authority.
He stressed that his eventual appointment came as a surprise to many, including members of his own party.
By: Jacob Aggrey
The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) has announced plans to replace a batch of 2026 vehicle number plates found fading.
In a statement issued on April 27, 2026, the authority explained that routine quality checks revealed that some of the embossed plates did not meet its durability standards.
It noted that the defect causes the printed characters on the plates to fade over time.
The authority indicated that once the issue was detected, the affected batch was immediately withdrawn from circulation, although some had already been issued to vehicle owners.
DVLA has therefore invited all affected vehicle owners to visit any of its offices across the country to receive free replacements.
It apologised for the inconvenience caused and took full responsibility for the oversight.
The authority assured the public that it is strengthening its quality control processes to prevent similar issues in the future.
It reaffirmed its commitment to providing safe, reliable and high-quality vehicle registration services.
By: Jacob Aggrey
