The Hogbetsotso Festival, celebrated by the Anlo people of Ghana’s Volta Region, has once again showcased a vibrant display of culture and tradition, drawing both locals and tourists alike. This past weekend, people gathered in Anloga, the festival's epicentre, to celebrate the historical journey of the Anlo people and commemorate their resilience and unity.

The event was filled with traditional drumming, dancing, storytelling, and rich customs that connect today’s generation with ancestral values. However, this year, an unsettling undercurrent cast a shadow on the festivities, as the disorderly road usage and overcrowded roads threatened to dampen what should have been a harmonious cultural experience.

The Hogbetsotso Festival’s rise as a significant cultural and tourist event in Ghana has increased attendance, a promising development that presents potential for economic growth. Tourists and cultural enthusiasts from around the globe come to witness and participate in the traditional dances, rituals, and colourful regalia that are on display. This increased footfall brings revenue to local businesses and provides a platform to promote the Anlo culture on an international level.

However, the festival’s growing popularity has not been met with adequate infrastructure planning and traffic management. A noticeable nuisance emerged as vendors set up makeshift food and drink stalls along the main Anloga-Keta road, especially at Vui Junction through to Dzelukope, creating bottlenecks and encroaching onto the already limited road space. Coupled with unregulated parking of vehicles on the narrow road, this turned parts of the main route into near gridlock, frustrating both festivalgoers and residents.

Many visitors spent hours navigating the congested roads and the detours created, caught in the disorganised flow of cars, trucks, and motorcycles all competing for limited space. This haphazard situation detracted from the cultural ambience of the event, as the sights and sounds of traditional celebrations were often drowned out by the blaring horns and shouting drivers struggling to manoeuvre the congested streets. For the elderly and those with mobility issues, the lack of accessible paths created an uncomfortable and challenging experience.

The unplanned arrangement of vendor stalls and the indiscriminate parking added an unnecessary layer of stress for visitors. The limited police presence made it difficult to enforce any form of order, and the absence of designated parking areas only exacerbated the situation. What should have been a joyful celebration of heritage felt chaotic and frustrating for many, raising concerns about the festival’s future if no action is taken to address these issues.

For the Hogbetsotso Festival to continue flourishing as a beacon of culture and tourism, the need for structured planning cannot be ignored. Key stakeholders, including local government authorities, the festival committee, and law enforcement agencies, must collaborate to ensure that infrastructural plans support the festival's growing scale. Setting up designated vendor zones away from main traffic routes, establishing parking areas with clear signage, and enforcing traffic control can ease the experience for visitors and ensure that everyone can enjoy the festivities without hindrance.

Additionally, investing in alternative routes or widening portions of the main road could alleviate traffic buildup in future years. Implementing these measures can transform the festival from a logistical challenge to a seamless experience that reflects the pride and beauty of the Anlo culture.

The Hogbetsotso Festival has the potential to be a premier cultural event that shines on the national and international stage. But for it to truly grow as a tourist destination, the nuisances stemming from poor planning must be addressed. If allowed to continue unchecked, the chaos surrounding the festival may turn away those who come to appreciate the culture and heritage of the Anlo people.  The time for planning the next is now!!!