The annual Klokpo Festival of Bakpa has once again brought together chiefs, residents and leaders of the Tongu area, using culture as a powerful tool to promote unity and accelerate community development.

The festival, which celebrates the shared ancestry and traditions of the Bakpa people, also served as a platform for development advocacy, as the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, urged political leaders to strengthen collaboration with traditional authorities.

Addressing the gathering, the Regional Minister called on Members of Parliament and District Chief Executives in North, South and Central Tongu to work closely with chiefs to implement people-centred development projects.

He noted that festivals such as Klokpo are not only cultural celebrations but also important forums for dialogue, planning and the mobilisation of resources for development.

“Where leaders are united, development follows. Chiefs, MPs and DCEs must speak with one voice to move Tongu forward,” Mr Gunu said.

The Klokpo Festival, instituted to foster peace and unity, also provided an opportunity for the people of Bakpa to reflect on past achievements, assess current challenges and chart a collective path towards development.

The Mankralo of Bakpa, Togbe Kofi Tosu, used the occasion to highlight the community’s development priorities, appealing to the government for support in key areas, including road rehabilitation, healthcare accommodation, education infrastructure and access to clean drinking water.

While commending the government’s efforts to stabilise the economy, he stressed that improved infrastructure and social services were essential to enhancing the quality of life of residents.

The celebration, marked by traditional rites, drumming and dancing, reaffirmed the Bakpa people’s commitment to peace, unity and progress, underscoring the growing role of culture as a catalyst for development in the Tongu area.