Ayariga leads Kusaug MPs to Bawku ahead of 38th Samanpiid festival

The Majority Leader of Ghana’s Parliament and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Hon. Mahama Ayariga, has led Members of Parliament from the Kusaug constituencies to Bawku ahead of the 38th Bawku Naba Samanpiid Festival, scheduled for Monday, December 29, 2025.

The arrival of the parliamentary delegation attracted a massive public reception, with residents turning out in large numbers to welcome the MPs back home for the annual cultural festival. Hon. Ayariga and his entourage were first received at Tiili Forest, a community in the Zebilla Constituency, where a large crowd of youth gathered and escorted the delegation in a convoy to Bawku, the administrative and traditional capital of Kusaug.

As part of activities ahead of the festival, the delegation made a stop along the Bawku Highway, where the statue of the Overlord of Kusaug was unveiled on Saturday, December 28. The MPs were welcomed by excited youth and women, many of whom expressed joy at the presence of their leaders ahead of the major cultural celebration.

The delegation later proceeded to the palace of the Zugraan of Bawku, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azorka II, to pay homage to the Overlord and formally inform him of their presence in Kusaug ahead of the Samanpiid Festival. Traditional rites were observed as the leaders interacted with chiefs and elders of the Kusaug Traditional Area.

Addressing residents during the visit, Hon. Mahama Ayariga called for peace, unity, and coexistence among the people of Kusaug. He assured the chiefs and people of the area of his commitment and that of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government to ensuring sustainable peace and development in Bawku and its surrounding districts. He stressed that effective law enforcement and respect for traditional authority remain critical to lasting peace in the area.

The Samanpiid Festival is a major annual harvest festival celebrated by the Kusasi people of the Kusaug Traditional Area. The festival is held to thank God for a successful farming season and is marked by traditional rites, drumming, dancing, feasting, and rich cultural displays. The name Samanpiid, meaning “sweeping of the compound,” symbolizes renewal, purification, and a fresh beginning after the harvest.

During the festival period, people from the six administrative districts of Bawku, Zebilla, Binduri, Pusiga, Garu, and Tempane, as well as visitors from outside the Upper East Region, converge in Bawku, the seat of the Overlord of Kusaug.

The theme for the 38th Samanpiid Festival is “Effective Enforcement of Law and Order: The Key to Sustainable Peace in Kusaug.”

The Special Guest of Honour for the event is His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, President of the Republic of Ghana.