Cornelius Adumpo (Journalist for Radio Bulsa)

  Radio Bulsa Hosts the DCEs for Bulsa North and Bulsa South Districts

    A report for Buluk Journal

As part of efforts for ensuring social accountability from duty bearers, Radio Bulsa (106.5 FM) held two separate programmes with the district chief executives for Bulsa North and Bulsa South Districts on October 1^st and October 4^th 2014 respectively.

The main issues that were tabled for address by the DCEs included the following: how the assemblies are handling the two per cent disability fund; what the assemblies are doing in terms of creating jobs for the youth; and concerns voiced by widows with regard to how widowhood rites lower their human dignity.

On the Disability Fund, the DCE for Bulsa North, Hon. Bonaventure Adangabey, said the Bulsa North District has formed a committee to oversee the disbursement of the money. He said some of the members of the committee include the president of People Living with Disability (PWDs), the director of the social welfare department, a parent representing parents of the disabled, the district’s finance officer, an assembly member, the DCE and the district coordinating director. The DCE added that in order to ensure transparency, they serve the PWDs a copy through their president each time the assembly receives its allocation of the fund.

Talking about access to the fund, he said the PWDs are always required to apply to the committee which then collates the applications and disburse the money based on priority of needs.

What happens in Bulsa North District is not entirely different from the way Bulsa South District handles the fund. However, Hon. Elisabeth Jane Afuic said they have included two PWDs in the committee, a man and a woman to ensure gender equity.

In the area of job creation for the youth, the DCE for Bulsa North said Government Social Opportunity Project (GSOP) government has rehabilitated four dams which can be used for irrigation purposes in Wiaga, Sandema, and Chuchuliga. He added that two new dams are being constructed at Zuedema and Sandem-Kori and to be used for irrigation, too.

Hon. Elisabeth Jane Afuic on her part said, the SADA-Millennium Village project is doing well in providing jobs for the youth. Though she could not give specific figures, she said quite a good number of the youth have been recruited as untrained teachers and others have also been employed to help in the health sector. She also disclosed that the assembly has it as a plan to build a resource centre to provide training in entrepreneurship for the youth.

On the issue of the widowhood rites, both DCEs acknowledged that these rights dehumanize women. They expressed their preparedness to engage the Traditional Authority to modify the practices that are bad.

Another issue that was put before them was whether they support the ban placed by the paramount chief of the Bulsa Traditional area, Sandemnaab Azagsuk Azantilow II, on the sale of alcohol in homes. 

Both DCEs lamented the prevalence of alcohol abuse among the youth and how it is ruining their lives. Hon Bonaventure Adangabey said the Bulsa North District Assembly has already given its blessings to the chief’s order. He said they were in the process of giving proper licenses to drinking bar operators in line with the liquor licensing act 331 of 1970.

He said the assembly was going to develop radio jingles discouraging the excessive intake of alcohol. 

The DCE for Bulsa South on her part said the assembly was also in the process of putting guidelines in place to regulate the selling of alcohol in the area. Special mention was made of the newly enskinned chief of Gbedembilisi, Naab Ignatius Amalugsi Atirekpeere III, who they commend for vigorously enforcing the ban on the sale of Akpeteshie in his village.