A district court in the Upper East Region has issued a restraining order halting the organization and celebration of the 2025 Damba Festival in the conflict-prone town of Bawku, according to regional authorities.
The ruling, handed down on Thursday by the Bolgatanga District Court, bars the president and members of the festival’s planning committee from proceeding with any related activities. The order was announced by the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC), which cited ongoing security concerns as the basis for the court’s intervention.
“The measure is aimed at preserving peace and preventing a potential escalation of tensions in Bawku and its environs,” REGSEC said in a statement Friday.
The ban will remain in effect until further notice.
The Damba Festival, a cultural and religious event traditionally celebrated by various ethnic groups in northern Ghana, has in recent years been a flashpoint in Bawku, where longstanding ethnic and chieftaincy disputes have periodically flared into violence. Authorities have grown increasingly cautious about large gatherings in the area, which they say risk reigniting hostilities.
The decision to suspend the festival underscores the delicate balance local officials must maintain in a region where cultural expression and public safety often collide.
