Organisers of Navrongo Fao Festival call for active citizen participation ahead of climax
Organisers say the festival will feature a business summit, health walk, quiz competition and entertainment programmes, with the December 31 climax expected to unite natives at home and abroad around Navrongo’s cultural heritage and development.
Organisers of the 2026 Navrongo Fao Festival have called on natives of the area, both at home and abroad, to actively participate in activities lined up for this year’s celebration and support efforts to advance the development of Navrongo.
They said collective commitment and support from citizens were crucial to ensuring a successful festival and mobilising the area’s human and material resources for sustainable development.
Speaking on the Big Mike Breakfast Show on Monday October 12, Gerald Awozare, a member of the festival’s steering committee and Secretary to the Media and Publicity Committee, said extensive preparations had gone into this year’s celebration.
He cited the launch of the festival and other activities, including the Navrongo Fao Development Dialogue, which took place on Friday October 9, at the University of Technology and Applied Sciences.
“One of the major programmes was the Navrongo Fao Development Dialogue. The intention was to bring people of Navrongo together so we can see how we can put together our resources for the development of Navrongo,” Awozare said.
He explained that Navrongo had considerable human and material resources that could be harnessed to drive development, hence the decision to bring together traditional leaders, the business community, academia, women’s groups and other stakeholders for discussions on the area’s development prospects.
Awozare said the dialogue featured discussions on key development priorities, with Dr Nii Noi Thompson, Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission, serving as the guest speaker.
Other discussions focused on agriculture, women’s empowerment and other critical areas relevant to the socio-economic advancement of Navrongo.
He said the engagement also provided participants with the opportunity to ask questions and contribute ideas, adding that a team documented the discussions and recommendations for further consideration and action.
Also speaking on the programme, Sebastian Bagina, Chairman of the Grounds, Health and Security Sub-committee and a member of the festival’s steering committee, described the dialogue as an important step towards mobilising support for the development of Navrongo.
He said the guest speaker helped identify priority areas that could guide the development of a roadmap to transform the area’s existing resources and assets into drivers of economic growth and social progress.
Bagina called on all natives of Navrongo to support the vision behind this year’s celebration and participate actively in the activities.
“Any person who hails from Navrongo should know that this is their celebration and should be part of it. It should be a collective involvement,” he said.
The organisers said other activities planned ahead of the festival’s climax included a business summit, a health walk, a quiz competition on the history of Navrongo and entertainment programmes.
The activities are expected to promote cultural appreciation, strengthen community bonds and create opportunities for discussions on the development of the area.
The 2026 Navrongo Fao Festival is scheduled to climax on December 31, bringing together natives of Navrongo from across Ghana and the diaspora to celebrate their rich cultural heritage and explore opportunities for the area’s development.
Mike 105.3FM | Navrongo | David Adapuna
