Kumawu (Ash), Jan. 9, GNA - The celebration of this year's "Papa" festival of the chiefs and people of the Kumawu traditional area in the Sekyere East district of Ashanti will take place on March 25 at Kumawu.

Barima Asumadu Sakyi 11, Paramount chief of the traditional area announced this at a meeting of the sub chiefs and elders of the area at the royal palace at Kumawu on Monday.

The announcement put to rest speculations in the area that, the celebration of the festival would not take place due to the loss of the "Abamoo", the soul and spirit of the people in the area about two years ago.

Barima Asumadu Sakyi stated that, the loss of the 93Abamoo" should not deter the people from celebrating the festival and that, permission had been granted by the Asantehene for the celebration of the festival.

He said in-spite of the loss, Kumawuman needed to be purified adding that, the celebration of the festival had brought a lot of development to the traditional area.

The Omanhene explained that, it was during the celebrations that appeals were made to government and other organisations to support the development agenda of the people and mentioned the construction and tarring of some roads in the area as some of the benefits, which had been derived from the celebration of the festival.

He said the ongoing construction of the Kumawu-Kwamang road and the tarring of the Kumawu-Drobonso road would help open up the Afram Plains portion of the district and appealed to the people to take active part in the celebration.

At the meeting, Baafuo Atta Tweneboah, Bodomasehene and Nifahene of the traditional area, introduced three divisional chiefs of Bodomase to the Omanhene.

They were Nana Owusu Frempong, Abontendomhene, Nana Agyapong Asiedu Amponsem, Kyidomhene and the Zarikin Zongo, Mallam Fuseini Zakari.