By Anthony Apubeo, GNA
Bongo (UE), Oct 17, GNA – The Chiefs and
people of the Bongo Traditional Area at the weekend celebrated their annual
Fire Festival.
They used the festival to call on stakeholders
to collaborate to improve upon the quality of education and preserve the
environment in the District.
The festival, popularly known as “Azambene” is
celebrated annually by the people of the Bongo traditional area to commemorate
the victory, inheritance and creation of the present Bongo from the Busasis,
the original owners of the land.
The celebration over the last few years had
received a District wide recognition where Chiefs, Queen Mothers, government
officials and the citizenry came together to celebrate and reflect on some
development issues as well as create platforms to institute programmes in the interest
of the District.
The 11th Anniversary celebration was on the
theme, “Supporting Education and Protecting the Environment through Culture,
the Role of the Community”.
It was characterized by cultural performances
including dancing and singing competitions, storytelling, drama, poetry
recitals among others and attracted chiefs not only from the Bongo District and
the Upper East Region but from outside the Region.
Speaking during the celebration, the Paramount
Chief of the Bongo Traditional Area, Bonaba, Baba Salifu Atamale Lemyaarum,
indicated that the celebration of the festival was very crucial to the
development of the area as it united the people to undertake development
projects.
He said the morals and lessons received
through cultural teachings, ensured that members of the community were
disciplined and law abiding, adding that, it was very necessary in protecting
the environment and promoting good sanitation and health.
The Paramount Chief indicated that education
was key to national development, and said funds raised annually from
celebrating the festival was usually channelled to the development of
education, particularly in assisting brilliant and needy students in the
District.
He said the Bongo Traditional Council was
doing a lot to help develop the District, and indicated however that funds
usually realized were woefully inadequate and therefore appealed to community
members and the media to project the festival to enhance patronage, which would
subsequently increase funds realized after each celebration.
Bonaba commended government for implementing
some development projects in the District, including the cutting of the sod for
the construction of the broken bridges and roads, the planting for food and
jobs, the one village one dam, free Senior High School among others, adding
that it would help raise the standard of living of the people.
Naba Lemyaarum appealed to government to
honour the District’s request in 2012 for the construction of a Teacher
Training College to help absorb the students coming out from the eight senior
high schools in the District.
Mr Peter Ayinbisa Ayamga, the Bongo District
Chief Executive (DCE), stated that government was committed to improving the
lives of people in the area through the various interventions being implemented.
He disclosed that plans were advanced to have
the Namoo Health Centre upgraded to a hospital and a mortuary would be
contructed at Bongo-Gorigo.
The DCE appealed to Government to consider
dividing the District into two constituencies and upgrading the Bongo District
into a Municipality, adding that it would ensure adequate allocation of
resources to enhance development.
Mr Ayamga, said he was determined to maintain operating an open door
policy and was ready to work with any person irrespective of their political
affiliation, and revealed that the District was endowed with lots of natural
resources, which when tapped and harnessed could generate the