Africa-Press – Ghana. The historic city of Elmina was a cornucopia of culture, tradition, and entertainment when the chiefs and people of the Edina Traditional Area climaxed the 2025 Bakatue festival on Saturday, July 5, 2025.
From the tops of the ancient storey structures, the principal streets of the coastal city transformed into an endless bright mosaic river as the chiefs embarked on a regal procession, cascading majestically from the Anomansa Palace to the embrace of the expectant crowd at the durbar ground.
In a deafening razzmatazz, thousands poured onto the streets to cheer on the chiefs who waved in response and danced leisurely to traditional drums and brass band amid musketry in their exquisitely ornamented palanquins.
The overwhelming numbers brought the city to a near standstill as security personnel struggled to maintain order.
The celebration was, nonetheless peaceful.
It was a huge market for petty traders and big companies alike as they plied business briskly.
This year’s Bakatue celebration was on the theme: “Sustaining our Heritage to Promote Tourism for Community and National Development.”
The procession was met with a rousing welcome around 1400 hours by an expectant crowd at the ‘Compass’ durbar ground, adjacent to the Elmina Castle.
The castle, which stands as a stark reminder of the dark and traumatising history of slavery and oppression, gave the best view of the blissful celebration of culture by a freed people.
The grand durbar was graced by Okatakyi Komeh VIII, the Paramount Chief of Komenda; Osagyefo Kow Freku IV, the Paramount Chief of Shama; Mr Ekow Panyin Okyere Eduamoah, the Central Regional Minister, and heads of various institutions, among other prominent dignitaries.
Soon after Nana Kodwo Conduah VI, the Edinamanhen (Paramount chief) welcomed the gathering, the Ntekuafo (a traditional women’s group) plunged the durbar into ecstasy with a thrilling performance, singing and dancing with the body and soul.
A beautifully crafted eulogy delivered in Fante by two little girls, Maame Adwoa Anafoa and Araba Bosomtwe, highlighted the rich history of Elmina and its potentialities.
When Nana Conduah VI eventually addressed the gathering, he reiterated his commitment to the enhancement of tourism, education, business, health, and sanitation in the city.
He reiterated his calls on the government to decriminalise saiko (illegal transfer of fish from industrial fishing trawlers to artisanal canoes), reminding the government to redeem its promise to the fishing community.
He maintained that saiko employed many fishers and offered less expensive fish, mitigating poverty among the people.
“Regional Minister, I am appealing to you to work with the Minister of Fisheries to bring back saiko because it is very helpful to us,” he said.
The Edinamanhen appealed to the government to construct an accommodation apartment for doctors and nurses in Elmina to enhance the delivery of health care, indicating that there was enough land for the project.
Nana Conduah further urged the government to complete an abandoned E-block school project to promote secondary education in the city.
Additionally, he pleaded for the completion of an expansion project at the Edinaman Secondary School to accommodate the growing student population.
“The past government promised to buy the school a bus and I am sure they would have bought it if they were not voted out. As a new government, I am appealing to you to buy the bus for us,” he added.
He complained about unemployment in the area and entreated the government to expedite action on the 24-hour economy to enhance employment for the youth.
He also reiterated the defects at the newly constructed fishing harbour in Elmina and implored government to help fix it.
The Edinamanhen repeated his calls on government to set aside part of the funds generated from the Elmina Castle for the traditional authorities for development.
He recalled that former President J.A Kufuor instituted an arrangement, which gave the traditional authorities one third of the proceeds but it was cancelled in 2009 when a new government took over.
“In this week alone, the castle has generated a lot of money because of the festival but none of that comes to us. We are entreating you to restore that arrangement.”
Describing festivals as a business, he urged the government to make deliberate efforts to support the celebration of festivals across the country, particularly, Bakatue.
Speaking on behalf of President Mahama, Mr Eduamoah, the Central Regional Minister, pledged to take the request on the decriminalisation of saiko into consideration and lift the ban when the assessment was positive.
His response to the request for proceeds from the castle was also positive, assuring that “we will make sure you get some of the proceeds from the castle.”
He, however, entreated the paramount chief to leverage the facility by creating innovative activities around it to generate funds.
He urged him to establish a cultural centre and a dedicated troupe at the castle or the palace to re-enact slavery, history, and festivals among other activities to rake in revenue for the traditional council.
He gave the people his word to fix the fault at the harbour and complete the abandoned E-block, which was 54 per cent complete.
Government is still working on reviving the Komenda Sugar Factory to boost employment, he assured.
Denouncing the poor state of sanitation in many districts in the region, Mr Eduamoah promised to reward clean communities with development projects.
“President Mahama is resetting Ghana, but we must first reset our mindset otherwise there is nothing we can do.
“We often blame the colonisers for our problems but we are doing more harm to ourselves than they ever did. We are killing ourselves with galamsey, poor sanitation, and many other harmful activities,” he said.
The Regional Minister directed all companies sponsoring the festival to take steps to train the youth in various sectors, employ them directly or establish branches in Elmina to boost the local economy.
“It is not enough for companies to build tents and support us with some little amount of money.
“Your sponsorship should also include making sure that some of the young people here are gainfully employed and the community given facilities like classroom blocks and clinics.
“If you do not do it, as the Regional Minister, I will not allow you to sponsor the event next year,” he said.
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