Security beefed up at Bawku in readiness for Samanpiid Festival

Security at Bawku in the Upper East Region has been beefed up and streamlined to ensure a peaceful climax of the Samanpiid Festival on Saturday.

The Vice President, Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and former President John Dramani Mahama are expected to grace the occasion.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Yao Tettegah, the Bawku Divisional Police Commander, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, said all security and safety arrangements had been made to ensure the place was safe for the celebration.

Mr. Simon Azimbe Aruk, the Head of Security Committee for the Samanpiid Festival, explained that even though Bawku was in the news some years back for insecurity, stakeholders including the Police, Military, youth, opinion leaders, and civil society organizations had worked hard to ensure peace in the area.

As a result of the peaceful atmosphere over the years, socio-economic activities had been boosted and people were living peacefully with their neighbours, projecting a common goal for community development among other things, he said.

Mr. Aruk urged all across the country to visit Bawku and participate in the Festival, which would also welcome dignitaries from Burkina Faso, Togo and the diplomatic society to join the chiefs and people of the Traditional Area in the celebration.

The Bawku Township, on Saturday morning, was calm, with people making preparation for the celebrations while those in the surrounding communities had started trooping in.

Aside from joining the celebration, most of them would take advantage of the day, being a market day, to do brisk business.