The Techiman Traditional Council in the Bono East Region has called off this year’s Apoo Festival because of the outbreak of the Coronavirus across the globe.

The Apo Festival is celebrated annually by the chiefs and people of the Techiman Traditional Area. The Apoo is a festival for the purification of the people to rid them of social evil.

The festival lasts one week and includes a variety of traditional cultural activities. It ends on the sixth day with the Apoo procession, when insinuations are cast about the evil doings of some of the citizens. Even the Chief is not spared. This period is a time for family reunions and unity among the people.

But due to the spread of the Coronavirus across the world and Ghana recording 6 cases the festival has been called off.

In a letter signed by the Registrar of the Traditional Council, Evans Eghan stated that, “Upon series of consultations with team of Health Professionals from the Holy Family Hospital in Techiman and the current trend of COVID 19 cases in Ghana, the Standing Committee of the Techiman Traditional Council at its meeting on Saturday 14th of March, 2020 at the Ohene Ameyaw Palace has reached an informed decision to cancel the celebration this year’s Techiman Apoo Festival.”

Mr. Evans Eghan in an interview with First1News noted that though Techiman has not recorded any Coronavirus it was a precautionary measure they have to take looking at the number of people who patronised the Apoo Festival.