The Techiman Traditional Council in the Bono East Region has decided to cancel this year’s Apoo Festival due to the global spread of the Coronavirus.
The Apoo Festival is an annual cultural event celebrated by the chiefs and people of Techiman to purify the community and rid it of social evils. The week-long festival includes various traditional activities and culminates on the sixth day with a procession in which allegations are made about wrongdoings within the community, including those of the Chief. It is also a time for family reunions and fostering unity among the people.
However, in light of the global outbreak of COVID-19, and with Ghana having recorded two cases, the festival has been called off.
In a letter signed by Evans Eghan, the Registrar of the Techiman Traditional Council, it was explained that after consultations with health professionals from the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman and reviewing the current situation of COVID-19 in Ghana, the Standing Committee of the Techiman Traditional Council met on March 14, 2020, and made the decision to cancel the festival for this year.
Mr. Eghan, in an interview with First1News, emphasized that although no cases of the virus have been reported in Techiman, the decision was made as a precautionary measure, considering the large number of people who typically attend the festival.
