Mamprusis to defy National Security ban on Damba

The Damba festival of the Mamprusi people in Bawku in the Upper East Region might be celebrated despite a National Security ban on it.

Members of the planning committee of the Damba festival have told Joy News correspondents the committee has served National Security and the Regional Security Council correspondence suggesting the festival will be celebrated peacefully.

The committee expressed shock at news of the ban, Joy News' Upper East Regional correspondent, Joseph Osei reported on Friday.

National Security banned this year's celebration, which was due to start Friday, after intelligence reports suggested that people are planning to use the festival to disturb the peace in the volatile area, where Mamprusis and Kusasis have often visited violence on each other.

The Mamprusis have vowed to go ahead with the celebration.

Bawku police commander, DSP Cashman Blewusi, says the area is at the moment peaceful.

“As far as security is concerned, there is no threat; everything is going on well in this town [and there] is no cause for alarm,” he said.

“If there is a problem, we know how to handle it; we are in control. So there is no problem in Bawku”, he said.

Unfair treatment?
The Mamprusis have described as unfair the decision by the regional security council to impose a ban on the celebration.

They do not understand why they will not be allowed to celebrate the festival when their counterparts from other ethnic groups have been allowed to celebrate it.