The chiefs and people of Zuarungu in the Bolgatanga East District of the Upper East Region have celebrated this year’s annual N’DAAKOYA festival.
Addressing the celebrants, the paramount chief of Zuarungu, Naba Bilia Maletinga III, indicated that N’DAAKOYA festival is celebrated by chiefs and the people of Zuarungu in commemoration of God’s blessing for a successful farming season and to solicit for God guidance in the future.
“N’daakoya Festival is an important event in the life of Zuarungu people and celebrated annually in commemoration of God’s blessings for a successful farming season and to solicit God’s guidance for the ensuing year. It is a homecoming to the indigenes of Zuarungu far and near who come together to specifically strategically address the shortfalls to push our developmental agenda forward”
This year’s Celebration was under the themed: “Promoting Culture And Tradition In Modern Times To Facilitate Development”. Naba placed more emphasis on the rich culture and traditional heritage of Zuarungu that need to be rekindle to the young generations, a reason why the planning committee include preparation of traditional food to showcase the rich culture of the people.
“we placed emphasis on the rich cultural and traditional heritage of Zuarungu. The selection of the theme comes in the wake that modernization has infiltrated into the beautiful culture and tradition that was passed to us by our forefathers and impacting negatively on our youth. we in Zuarungu, have taken cognizance of the numerous benefits associated with our culture and tradition we are celebrating the festival with an exhibition of the different Traditional dishes that you are about to witness. The dishes are prepared solely with what we grow locally devoid of the so called artificial ingredients making it healthy to the body and economical to the pocket. Please, try to taste it for yourself during your inspection”.
This year’s festival also aimed at raising funds for the completion of the face two of the Zuarungu market which the member parliament for the Bolgatanga East Constituency, Dr. Dominic Ayine initiated. The project which was to include the lorry park got stalled after the 2016.
The district chief executive for Bolgatanga East, Mr. David Amoah Akolgo highlighted the strong relationship between the district assembly and the people of Zuarungu that saw the realization of the agenda 111 project in the district as well as the several projects under the Gulf Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion project which has lifted the image of the district in terms of development needs .
“I am grateful to mention that our relationship with the Traditional Authorities has been very cordial, mutual and progressive. The Paramouncy has been exceptionally helpful in securing land for the numerous development projects we have witnessed since the creation of the District.
Let me take the opportunity to inform the Paramount Chief and the people of Bolga East that the Agenda 111 Hospital Project they helped us to get the land for, is 54% complete and we are very grateful for the support.
At this juncture, please permit me to share with you a few notable projects that we have recently cut sod, courtesy the SOCO projects for the first year.
- Construction of a Community-based Health Planning and Services (CHPs) compound with nurses’ accommodation and furnishing at Dabore.
- Rehabilitation of 10-seater toilet facility with an overhead tank at Zuarungu Central Market.
- Rehabilitation of football pitch and provision of volleyball court with pavilion and 4-unit open urinal at Agric Park.
- Construction of nurses’ accommodation and furnishing at Dulugu.
- Construction of double 1.2m diameter pipe culvert at Dachio
6.Construction of double 1 2m diameter pipe culvert at Kumbosigo and construction of one unit double 1.2m pipe covert at Zonno Zori”.
The Upper East Regional minister who represented the Vice President as the guest of honor, employed the people to collaborate with the government to ensure the full realization of the SOCO project and also pleaded with the paramount chief and the Zuarungu Traditional Council as well as the regional house of chiefs to work closely with the assemblies to enact bylaws and gazette them to address the growing increase of open defecation and teenage pregnancy activities in our communities to promote the needs and aspirations of people.
Source: mywordfmonline.com /Gaspard Ayuureneeya