The 2025 edition of the Aboakyer Festival of the Effutu people in the Central Region, has officially been launched.

This year’s celebration, themed Championing Our Ancestral Legacy, drew a significant turnout of traditional leaders, residents and corporate representatives, all pledging their support to make the festival a success.  

During the launch, the Paramount Chief of the Effutu Traditional Area, Neenyi Ghartey VII, underscored the urgent need for improved sanitation, particularly in the wake of a cholera outbreak affecting the municipality.

"An issue I want to address is the state of public health in this municipality. Late last year, we heard of a cholera outbreak within the Agona area. Today, as we speak, the situation has reached Effutu and has claimed one or two lives already," he stated.  

Neenyi Ghartey VII attributed the outbreak to poor environmental sanitation, stressing the need for residents to maintain cleaner surroundings, especially along the coastline where open defecation remains a pressing issue.  

"We have enabled this to happen to us because we are not well-kept. Our environment is unkempt, particularly the beachfront, where open defecation is the practice of the people for no reason plausible. We first thank our health officials for how best they have managed the situation to date, but we call on all and sundry to start improving sanitation around their homes and public places around them," he urged.

As part of measures to curb the situation, he called for stricter enforcement of sanitation laws.  

"We also call on the Environmental Health Officer to partner with the Ghana Health Service personnel and, with the support of the security agencies, arrest any person caught openly defecating at the beach. Please, brothers and sisters of Effutu, let us take this seriously and don’t blame anybody for any arrest made," he cautioned.  

Beyond the cultural significance of the Aboakyer Festival, Neenyi Ghartey VII highlighted its economic benefits, encouraging businesses to invest in the event and take advantage of the market it creates.  

“A celebration of the size we have is expensive to do. We call on the business community in the country to come and support the festival celebration. Effutu Aboakyer offers the best in traditions and excitement," he noted.  

He also urged revelers to uphold the values of discipline and hospitality, ensuring a peaceful and successful festival.

"Finally, let me caution that celebrants and the public alike should maintain a high level of decency during the celebration. We say to the Effutu people, let our hospitable ideals stand out. Thank you for your attention," he concluded.  

The Aboakyer Festival is set to begin on Saturday, April 26th, 2025, and will feature a range of exciting activities leading up to the grand durbar.

The festival will kick off with the Osipam Marathon Race on Saturday, April 26. This will be followed by the Regatta and Tug of War on Tuesday, April 29. A Health Walk is also scheduled for Thursday, May 1.

The festival's climax will take place on Saturday, May 3, with the parading of the Asafo gods following the traditional deer hunting ritual by the Asafo companies in a grand durbar. To wrap up the celebration, the Miss Aboakyer Pageant will be held on the evening of Saturday, May 3.