Following the acute water shortage in the Cape Coast Municipality and its environs, traditional rites were performed at the Brimsu River on Friday to pacify the river gods to increase the water level in the Brimsu Dam and ensure the flow of water for the people. It is believed that the performance of the rites would appease the gods to ensure enough rains to increase the water level at the Dam’s intake to enable the Ghana Water Company Ltd. (GWCL), to supply water to the people. Items used for the rites included a cow and a ram.

A committee set up by the Omanhen of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II, started work on the rites last April. Some rituals were performed on the river last Sunday to climax the spiritual exercise to pacify the gods of the river. The rites were performed in four communities namely Apewusika, Putubiw, Nyame Bkyere and Abaasa. A number of chiefs from both the Oguaa and Abura Asebu Kwamankese traditional areas converged at Apewusika where the rites began. The slaughtered animals were cut into pieces and thrown around the four villages as ordered by the river gods. Investigations had it that an annual purification rites were performed by the early European engineers who built the dam to pacify the gods. But after the departure of the Europeans, the GWCL had failed to perform the rites since they alleged that there were no documents to support the annual rituals. Unfortunately, on 12 May 1987 at about 10 am, pumping of untreated water from the dam to the treatment plant stopped. The following day, it was discovered that all the types of fish in the remaining stagnant waters of the Kakum River were dead. Due to some provocative behaviour of the people residing around the river, a Muslim woman possessed by some spirit known as Maame Hawa complained that a cow belonging to the gods had been captured, killed and consumed by the people of the nearby Sordinfo village. The possessed woman who was said to be the spokesperson for the gods stated that, periods of ‘no fishing’ in the river were not adhered to by the people. Aside that, annual purification rites had been also ignored. These, among other human activities on the river, caused the Brimsu River to dry up. To pacify the gods and to ensure that there was enough water in the river, a cow was purchased and slaughtered. Investigations further showed that, the possessed woman directed that no individual must consume any part of the sacrificial meat. Instead, it should be cut into several pieces and scattered around specific areas. Reports said within a period of three days and without any sign of rain, the water level at the Brimsu pumping station rose to 17 feet. Again in 1998, when the traditional rites were performed it rained heavily. The traditional authorities therefore believed that the performance it rained heavily. The traditional authorities therefore believed that the performance of the rites on the river was the surest way to appease the river gods for the misdeeds of the people. Among those who attended was the Omanhen of the Oguaa Traditional Area, Osabarima Kwesi Atta II.