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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