The Anlo Dukor Council has officially announced the dates for a four-week ban on drumming and noisemaking as part of sacred customary rites to purify the land in preparation for the 2025 edition of the Annual Hogbetsotso Festival.
The ban will be in effect from Sunday, 7th September to Saturday, 27th September 2025.
This was contained in a press statement signed by Togbi Agbesi Awusu II, the Awadada of Anlo, on behalf of Togbi Sri III, Awoamefia of Anlo and released to the Ghana News Agency.
According to the statement, the activities that the ban will prohibit include drumming and use of loud musical instruments, outdoor musical performances or celebrations such as funerals, crusades, and any form of excessive or amplified noise likely to disrupt the sanctity of the period

“All residents, religious bodies, institutions, event organisers, and visitors within the Anlo jurisdiction, comprising the thirty-six (36) traditional towns, are respectfully urged to strictly comply with this directive,” the statement added.
In an exclusive interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) Togbi Awusu advised residents to make an effective use the period in the month of August ahead of the ban
“We kindly advise churches, traditional associations, event organisers, and the general public to schedule any activities that may involve noisemaking before the commencement of the ban period, to avoid any inconvenience or violations.” Togbi advised
The Awoamefia of Anlo, Torgbui Sri III, has also appealed to the public to uphold the dignity of this revered period and respect the traditions that preserve the spiritual and cultural fabric of the Anlo people.
To ensure compliance, the statement said a traditional task force will collaborate with local authorities and security agencies to enforce the ban.
The Council further cautioned that any breach of this directive would be met with appropriate traditional and legal consequences.
“The sanctity of our customs must be preserved. This period is not only spiritual but essential to the unity and peace of our people,” the Awadada emphasised.
The Hogbetsotso Festival, one of Ghana’s most iconic cultural events, commemorates the historic migration of the Anlo people from Notsie in present-day Togo.
It is marked annually with rich traditions, rituals, and celebrations that draw both local and international attention.