The 2025 Somètutuza Festival of the Somè Traditional Area was celebrated in grand style on Saturday, September 27, coinciding with this year’s World Tourism Day. The festival brought together government officials, traditional leaders, dignitaries, and thousands of indigenes and visitors, reaffirming the festival’s unique role as a platform for cultural pride, peace, unity, and socio-economic development.
Delivering his address, Torgbiga Adamah III, Paramount Chief of the Somè Traditional Area, welcomed all dignitaries and participants to Agbozume, describing the day as “another great moment in the history of the Somè people.”
He extended special appreciation to the President of the Republic for the Sea Defence Project at Agavedzi and Amutinu, noting that it had brought immense relief to coastal communities. He also commended the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture, led by Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, for integrating World Tourism Day celebrations into this year’s Somètutuza, calling it an opportunity that “boosts the tourism potential of Somè, Ketu South and the Volta Region as a whole.”
Development Projects Announced
The Paramount Chief further briefed citizens on ongoing and promised projects. He recalled that during the 2024 festival, the Guest of Honour, Ambassador Prof. Huge Aryee, pledged to rebuild the Somè National School into a modern facility with an ICT Centre and additional infrastructure.
Earlier this year, the promise was expanded to include revamping the Agbozume Market, a development currently under discussion with affected property owners. Torgbiga Adamah reiterated the people’s support for these initiatives, stressing that the projects would significantly uplift education, commerce, and livelihoods in the area.
Tourism, Peace and Sustainable Transformation
Speaking at the durbar, Hon. Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Minister for Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, underscored the importance of aligning the Somètutuza with World Tourism Day 2025, celebrated globally under the theme “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation.” She noted that the convergence “not only highlights Ghana’s growing prominence in the global tourism space, but also reinforces peace and unity as pillars of development.”
She reminded participants that tourism must go beyond economic benefits to include community empowerment, environmental protection, and cultural preservation. Hon. Gomashie also called on traditional leaders, the private sector, and the youth to view tourism as a path to innovation, job creation, and entrepreneurship, citing the ministry’s efforts to expand domestic tourism beyond Accra and Cape Coast to areas such as Ketu South.
Ketu South Municipality Opens Doors
On his part, the Municipal Chief Executive of Ketu South, Hon. Nicholas Kobla Ezor Worclachie, assured the chiefs and people of the government’s commitment to supporting cultural and developmental initiatives in the area. He noted that resources had already been released to the assemblies under President John Dramani Mahama’s leadership, emphasising the need for unity among chiefs to drive development.
National Agenda for Culture and Economy
Representing President John Dramani Mahama, Mr Augustus Goosie Tanoh, Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development, described the Somètutuza as more than a festival, but a collective journey toward cultural sustainability and economic transformation. He highlighted the President’s “Show 24” initiative, which aims to strengthen Ghana’s creative economy by providing rewarding careers in arts, music, film, and cultural event management.
Mr Tanoh praised the Somè people for their contributions to Ghana’s cultural heritage, particularly through their iconic kente weaving, music, dance, and cuisine, which he described as “drivers of confidence, livelihoods and transformation.” He urged chiefs and citizens to embrace peace and solidarity, which he said were indispensable for sustainable development and prosperity.
A Festival Beyond Celebration
The 2025 Somètutuza was not just a showcase of tradition and culture, but a convergence of developmental commitments, tourism promotion, and cultural diplomacy. The overarching theme of consolidating peace and unity resonated through every speech, song, and display, reminding all that festivals are powerful tools for both cultural preservation and economic growth.
As the Paramount Chief, government officials, and citizens departed the colourful durbar grounds, one thing was clear: the Somètutuza Festival has evolved beyond a local celebration into a strategic platform that positions Ketu South and the Volta Region as a beacon of cultural tourism and sustainable development in Ghana and beyond.
