This year’s Apetorku Gbordzivbeun Festival was marked by vibrant cultural displays, spiritual ceremonies, and a renewed appeal for government intervention to address critical development needs within the Dagbamate community.

Speaking during the grand durbar of the festival, Mr Sammy Davor, Secretary to the Apetorku Shrine, used the occasion to urge the government to come to the aid of the community, which continues to suffer from decades of infrastructural neglect.

His appeal focused on three major concerns: an abandoned road project, an incomplete junior high school block, and the need for support to expand the community’s vocational training centre.

He called for urgent action on the Akatsi–Dagbamate–Avenorpeme Road project, which was awarded under the previous NDC administration but has since been abandoned following the change of government.

The deplorable condition of the road, he noted, has become a major impediment to economic activity, education, healthcare, and general mobility in the area.

“The state of the road is unacceptable. It was awarded and started years ago, but nothing has been done since. We are calling on the government to revisit this important project,” Mr Davor appealed.

He also expressed concern over the long-abandoned storey building intended to house the community’s junior high school. The project, initiated over 15 years ago, has seen no significant progress, and its roofing was recently destroyed by a heavy rainstorm, leaving the structure exposed and unusable.

“Our children are now learning under extremely difficult conditions. This school block could have made a huge difference, but it has been left to deteriorate. The recent storm has only made matters worse,” he lamented.

The third major issue raised was the limited capacity of Dagbamate’s vocational training centre. Mr Davor appealed to the government and development partners to assist in expanding the facility to accommodate and train more young people from Dagbamate and the wider Akatsi South area in employable skills.

“We are doing our best to equip the youth, but the centre is too small and under-resourced. With government support, we could do much more to tackle unemployment and empower the next generation,” he said.

Mr Davor stressed that nearly all development projects in Dagbamate — including educational infrastructure, sanitation systems, and health facilities — have been solely funded by proceeds from the Apetorku Shrine and contributions from community members, with little to no government support over the years.

“For decades, the shrine has borne the responsibility of development in Dagbamate. We have done our part, but we can no longer do it alone. It is time for the government to play its role,” he added.

This year’s Apetorku Festival attracted thousands of traditional worshippers, tourists, and well-wishers from across Ghana and beyond. While deeply spiritual in nature, the festival also served as a platform for advocacy and community mobilisation, reflecting the hopes of the people for progress and national attention.

As the drums fall silent and the festival concludes, the people of Dagbamate remain hopeful that their call — made from the heart of tradition and community — will finally be heard by those in power.