ELMINA – It will be exactly one week today before the chiefs and people of Elmina come together to celebrate the much-anticipated Bakatue Festival 2026, one of Ghana’s most cherished traditional festivals.
As part of preparations for the celebration, the Elmina Traditional Council, in collaboration with the local Assembly, has undertaken a massive clean-up exercise across the township. The exercise aimed at improving environmental sanitation and ensuring that residents and visitors enjoy the festival in a clean and healthy environment.
The clean-up covered principal streets, markets, drains, lorry stations, and other public places. Community members, Assembly staff, traditional authorities, youth groups, and volunteers actively participated in removing refuse, desilting choked gutters, and clearing overgrown weeds.
Speaking during the exercise, officials emphasized the importance of maintaining a clean environment, especially as thousands of visitors are expected to arrive in Elmina for the annual festival. They noted that good sanitation is essential in preventing the outbreak of diseases and ensuring a successful celebration.
The Elmina Traditional Council commended residents who took part in the exercise and urged everyone to continue observing good sanitation practices before, during, and after the festival. The Assembly also appealed to traders, residents, and visitors to dispose of waste responsibly to help keep the town clean.
The Bakatue Festival, celebrated annually by the people of Elmina, marks the beginning of the traditional fishing season and is a time for thanksgiving, unity, and the preservation of the community’s rich cultural heritage. This year’s celebration is expected to attract dignitaries, tourists, and cultural enthusiasts from across Ghana and beyond.
With just one week to the festivities, the successful clean-up exercise reflects the commitment of both the Assembly and the Elmina Traditional Council to ensuring that Bakatue Festival 2026 is celebrated in a clean, safe, and healthy environment.
