The Avatime Traditional Council, in the Volta Region, has urged citizens to comply with COVID-19 directives to suspend events associated with this year’s annual Easter celebration and all other public gatherings in communities under its jurisdiction.

In a statement signed by Osie Adza Tekpor VII, the Paramount Chief of Avatime traditional area and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Wednesday said the council would not hesitate to sanction anyone or group of persons found defying its directives to suspend all public events.

The council noted that all religious worship services of any magnitude, excursions, sports, entertainments of all kinds, sports, weddings, womanhood customary puberty rites, funerals and other related gatherings that could attract the presence of a significant number of participants have been banned.

The statement said the decision was taken in consultation with religious bodies, various town development associations, the district assembly and other relevant stakeholders in the traditional area.

The statement explained that it was in compliance with similar directives issued earlier by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo following the outbreak of COVID-19 in Ghana.

The statement acknowledged that Easter holidays served as a homecoming for natives of Avatime communities including; Amedzofe, Vane, Biakpa, Dzogbefeme, Fume, Dzokpe and Gbadzeme.

Besides, the area is attractive to tourists and many holidaymakers during Easter holidays owing to the presence of waterfalls and hilly areas for hiking, canopy walk and paragliding among other socio-cultural engagements similar to Kwahu area in the Eastern Region and other parts of the country.

The Council, therefore, expressed concern about the rising incidence of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country and its potential consequences; and would not, therefore, endorse any public event in its jurisdiction that was detrimental to the safety of the citizenry and against state regulations and World Health Organisation (WHO) protocols.

Accordingly, the Council earlier cancelled its next in series of annual quarterly meeting and Congress of Ho-West Paramount Chiefs and Queens meeting and a gathering of Ho-West Queens scheduled for March this year.

While urging the entire Ghanaian public to be mindful of the dangers of COVID-19 and as such adopt healthy hygienic practices, the council also wishes to entreat traditional authorities of various communities under its control to collaborate with town development associations, assembly members and other relevant stakeholders to put in place precautionary measures in ensuring the protection and safety of its citizens.