Rev. James Agalic (DCE, Sandema)

I salute all Bulsa living at home and abroad and wish to thank the President of the Republic of Ghana, His Excellency, John Agyekum Kufour and Members of the District Assembly for giving me the opportunity to serve Bulsa and Ghana by nominating and confirming me as District Chief Executive. I assure them and all Bulsa that they have not made a mistake in this decision. We in Bulsa, like other Ghanaians are witnessing real democracy which has eluded us during the past two decades. We Bulsas are sitting on gold. I am not referring to our fertile lands in the southern parts of our District nor our virile human resources which are found in many organisations, particularly the security services in Ghana. I am not talking about the foreign money those of you living abroad regularly send to relatives at home. I am simply referring to our common heritage, our cultural oneness. Unlike other Districts in Northern Ghana, the Bulsa District is unique in the sense that it is culturally and linguistically homoge-neous. If you go to Chuchuliga, Tankansa in Wiaga or any other village in Bulsa for that matter, you are at home. The language spoken is Buli. The cultural practices in one village are the same as in the next village. It was the combined bravery of Bulsas that drove Babatu out of Bulsa Territory. No one village could have achieved that historical feat. To day, there are new and more dangerous slave raiders which are a threat to our very existence. The effects of these slave raiders manifest themselves as:

    • Poverty and Hunger

    • Ignorance and Superstition

    • Alcoholism and Drug Abuse

    • Diseases like HIV/AIDS, CSM and Cholera.

Our society stands at the brink of disin-tegrating as a result of these menaces. To avoid this impending calamity the silent voices of our suffering people are calling us to the rescue. Whether you are living in Ghana or Europe or America, I urge you to take up your bows and arrows and join the battle against the underdevelopment of our people. As our forefathers came together to drive Babatu out of Bulsa, we must in unity fight these invaders whose effects are more devastating than Babatu even was. We must rise against ignorance, combat alcoholism, poverty and stop the spread of diseases such as AIDS, CSM, cholera and malnutrition. I wish to assure you all that my administration will be open and all embracing. The time when the District Chief Executive and his office were viewed with suspicion and fear as if they were sacred groves (tangbana) is gone. My office is open to all Bulsas. Decision based on political party affiliations will have no place in my administration. We are going to work as a people with a common destiny in our efforts to develop Bulsa. I will endeavour at all times to promote the concepts of positive change and zero tolerance for corruption as is being advocated by his excellency President J. A. Kufour. In pursuance of these objectives, I shall accept ideas and constructive criticisms in good faith. My administration will avoid taking unilateral and adhoc decisions. We will not award contracts without the due process of the District Tender Board and payments shall be properly approved and documented. There shall be free flow of information and all issues regarding the development of our area shall be appropriately debated before decisions are taken. Nothing shall be shrouded in secrecy. Transparency shall prevail. We shall do what we can to protect both movable and immovable property of the District Assembly.

This implies that the culture of maintenance shall be scrupulously applied. Gone are the days when the assembly's property especially vehicles were used with careless abandon.

The strategies by which sustainable develop-ment in the areas of Education, Health, Agri-culture and the Environment will be tackled, shall in due course be published. Meanwhile, I am inviting suggestions in the form of memoranda and project proposals from all Bulsas and non-Bulsas who have the welfare of our people at heart. Those of us living and enjoying better conditions of life outside Bulsa must bear in mind that their umbilical cords or those of their parents are buried in Bulsa. This symbolises the psychological and cultural links we have with those of our people living at home. We abandon them at our own peril. We can attain our desire to develop Bulsa only if we are united in this common purpose.

Zurugaluu lam kan be. Nawen ale ti koma maari ni meena. Ma te wai meena jiam.