In a welcome address, Chief Clement Anyatuik Akanko expressed his gratitude to the central administration under President John Mahama for giving them their own district and for all the developmental projects that are brought to the area, e.g. the community centre, which is under construction now.

Mr. Yanick Noah Agboado said government intends to carry out a number of development project in the Bulsa South District. He said a rice mill will be established in Fumbisi to serve as a source of income to the women.

In an exclusive interview with radio Bulsa news, Mr. Akuku Kofi, Non Formal Director for the Bulsa South District, said a numbers of instructional centres across the district have been opened and they are giving functional literacy training to people in both English and Buli. He therefore encourages people to get themselves enrolled onto the programme.

Eighty copies of the 8^th edition of BULUK (Journal of Bulsa Culture and Society) were printed (F.K.).

Linus Angabe founded the “Bulsa Kaniak” (later named “Buluk Kaniak”) Facebook group with John B. Agandin and Fidelis Landy as administrators.

The Bulsa South District Directorate of education in collaboration with the Bulsa South District Assembly today held a one-day education forum at the Fumbisi Senior High School to deliberate on issues that gave rise to the falling standards of education in the area.

The forum brought together head teachers of the basic schools, chiefs, educated citizens from the district, circuit supervisors as well as other stakeholders of education.

Giving the detailed analysis of the District’s Performance in the 2014 BECE (Basic Education Certificate Examination), Mr. Charles Adama, the facilitator of the forum, said the statistics further revealed that in the Bulsa South District, 408 students took part in the BECE and out of that number two students, a boy and a girl had made grade 19; 49 candidates made grades between 20-30. Out of the 49 only 15 candidates passed in the core subjects and were qualified for admission into the senior high school.

There was an open forum session for participants to ask questions or to make contributions. Some of the concerns raised include: poor supervision, recruitment of unqualified personnel and the lack of commitment on the part of circuit supervisors to deal drastically with recalcitrant teachers.

The paramount chief of the Bulsa Traditional area, his royal highness Nab Azagsuk Azantilow, sounded a strong warning in Buli to people who are destroying shea trees. They should desist from this act or face the rigours of the traditional authority. The paramount chief added that there are indications that the shea trees will bear a lot of fruits this year but it has always been the practice of some people, especially women, to harvest the fruit for their selfish gains while they are pre-matured. He said drastic sanctions will be imposed on such persons if they are caught and brought before him.

Nab Azagsuk Azantilow also cautioned against the cutting of shea trees for either fuel wood or for charcoal purposes. He said trees are a gift from nature hence no one has the right to cause any form of destruction to them. He said any person who is caught destroying shea trees in any part of Buluk should be reported to the chief palace of that community. He called on the divisional chiefs to impose heavy punishments on such persons.

The paramount chief also dispelled rumours that the traditional authority has extended the deadline for the performances of funeral rites in Buluk. It should be recalled that the traditional council last year issued a directive that no one should perform the final funeral rites of a deceased relative after the month of March but there are rumours making rounds that the March ending deadline has been extended to 15th April.

He reiterated his placement of the ban on the sale of alcohol in households. He said the traditional council is having the full backing of the law and central government as such. If someone is caught defying the order, that person will be sent to court and fines will be imposed on the fellow.

Ninety-two objects of Prof. Schott’s collection of Bulsa material culture were incorporated in the main collection of Dr. Franz Kröger (See also July 22, 2015).

Seven concerned citizens of the Bulsa South District residing in Tamale have donated food items and a cash amount of thousand Ghana Cedi to support the organization of a district wide mock examination for all the BECE candidates of Bulsa South.

The Bulsa South District Assembly in collaboration with the education directorate is organizing a district wide mock examination for 413 BECE candidates. The examination will start on Monday, 1^st June, 2015, and it will take place at two centres in Fumbisi and Kanjarga respectively.

Death of Mr Ben Agalga, the father of Hon. James Agalga, MP and Deputy Minister for the Interior (see obituary below)

The winners of the Primaries

J. Agalga (NDC)	Dr. C. Apaak (NDC)

J. Alonsi (NPP)	D.K. Gariba (NPP)

The NDC-candidate for the general election in 2016 was elected for the Bulsa North constituency. In the primary at Sandema 3632 votes were cast on the incumbent MP James Agalga and 930 votes on Mr Timothy Ataboadey (Facebook).

In the Bulsa South constituency Dr. Clement Apaak won the election over Dr. Chrys Anab Anyuisa as his contestant.

Mr. Kofi Alonsi won the NPP-primary in the Bulsa North constituency over Listowell Bukarson as his contestant. The winner of the Bulsa South primary was Mr. Daniel Kwame Gariba with Mr. Daniel Kojo Akachobili as his contestant.

The deputy regional minister for the Upper East Region, Hon. David Syme Awonwie, has lauded BUCOBANK for spending a total amount of GHC 21,943 on key development sectors such as Agriculture, Health, Sports, and Culture during the past year.

He said the average percentage of banks lending to the agriculture sector is just about 6% compared to 65% and 34% for the service and industry sectors respectively. The deputy minister stated that banks are reluctant to lend to the agric sector because of the low market potential of the produce and the high risk in the sector owing to an unpredictable rainfall pattern.

Mr David Achaw, the new entrant on the Board of Directors of BUCOBANK, stated in an interview to Radio Bulsa that he is bringing his expertise as professional marketeer on board to project the image of the bank high in the corporate world.

Reacting to allegation always levelled against BUCOBANK for always trying to deny other banks the opportunity to open branches in the Bulsa land, Mr David Achaw said Ghana operates a free economy hence it cannot be true that BUCOBANK is preventing other banks from opening agencies in the Bulsa Districts. He said the success chalked by the bank is what is rather scaring the banks away because when the other banks conduct market assessment they always realize that they will not make much capital if they open branches in Buluk.

The election was conducted to fill vacancies left by three board members who were retiring. Two of the retiring board members sought for re-election while the other one, the outgoing board chairman, Mr Pascal Ayaric, stepped down voluntarily.

One of the retiring members who sought for re-election, Nab Akanab Apoomween, chief of Wiesi, had his nomination granted by popular acclamation while the other person, Mr Robert Asekabta Atong, had to battle for his re-election with three other persons. At the end of the polls Mr David Achaw, an Accra based professional marketeer and contractor, polled 2,415,844 votes to pick one of the two slots left while his closest contender, Mr Robert Asekabta Atong, picked his re-election slot by polling 1,397,120 votes. The rest, Mr Charles Amang Azong, the regional internal auditor for GES, and Mr Denis Ankang Abasiwie, an accountant, polled 911,245 and 231,811 votes respectively.

The poll voting system was used where an individual’s vote is equated to the number of shares owed by him or her.

The PTA [Parent Teacher Association] Executives of the Fumbisi Senior High Agricultural School has cut the sod for the construction of three projects works that include a story building dormitory each for both the boys and girls and an ultra modern administration block with ICT centre and a library.

Speaking during the ceremony Mr. Clement Apaak, a presidential staffer at the office of the president, said the three projects which are about to start are among the few project which government intend to execute at the school to facilitate teaching and learning and also ease the accommodation challenges facing the school.

He added that government in order to execute the projects in the shortest possible time has awarded three different contractors to work hard to complete the projects to meet the time line.

Mr. Clement Apaak made the statement during a PTA executive meeting and sort cut ceremony held at the Fumbisi senior high school premises on Saturday.

The Bulsa North Assistant District Director of Social Welfare, Mr. Samuel Apuuchogi, said that all funds that were released for the 37h payment cycle of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (LEAP) have been distributed to its beneficiaries across the Bulsa North.

According to him, the Minister of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Nana Oye Lithur, last month released an amount of GHC 5.5 million to be disbursed to beneficiaries across the LEAP operational areas in the country to improve the living conditions of the poorest.

The LEAP is a social cash transfer program which provides cash and health insurance to extremely poor households across the country to alleviate short-term poverty and encourage long term human capital development. LEAP started a trial phase in March 2008 and then began expanding gradually in 2009 and 2010. In July 2013, the program had reached over 70,000 households across Ghana with an annual expenditure of approximately USD 20m. The program is funded from general revenues of the Government of Ghana (50 percent), donations from DFID and a loan from the World Bank. It is the flagship program of Ghana's National Social Protection Strategy and is implemented by the Department of Social Welfare (DSW) in the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

The Chief of Wiaga, Naab Akanfebanuyeta Asiuk, in collaboration with the Bulsa North District Assembly, has handed over 77.39 hectares of land for the construction of a Community Senior High School in Wiaga.

The land is located in Wiaga Sinyangsa, along the Wiaga-Fumbisi Road. The project is supposed to last for 18 months, which according to the authority would create jobs among the youth in the area.

The handing over ceremony brought together dignitaries from the Ministry of Education in the Greater Accra Region, the District Chief Executive, and staff of the Assembly, as well as the Chief of Wiaga and his entourage.

Mr. Wong Li, the project manager’s assistant, who spoke on behalf of the China State Hualong Ghana Limited, said the commencement date of the project has not been decided due to mobilization funds which have not been released to the company by the Ministry of Education.

According to him, the company, dedicated to the construction of government facilities and individual projects, has been in the country for over 20 years,. He promised to engage the youth in the community to complete the project within the 18 months period.

The headmaster of the Wiaga Senior High School and sub-chief of Wiaga Sinyangsa, Mr. Daniel Alabadek, that the school is very grateful to the President Mahama administration for awarding a four storey building to be built at the Wiaga Senior High School to help facilitate teaching and learning. The school has acquired a new site at Sinyangsa for the construction of the four unit storey building.

The headmaster who doubles as the sub-chief of Sinyangsa added that as a sub-chief of the Sinyangsa community the welfare of the farmers and houses that would be affected were very paramount, therefore authorities had to show interest in compensating the affected people for a resettlement before the project commences.

The regional police command has launched investigations into the vandalism of the DCE’s car.

The Bulsa North District Chief Executive, Hon. Bonaventure Adangabey, has expressed his sincere gratitude to the people of Bulsa for the solidarity that was shown him during his difficult times in the Talensi by- elections.

According to him, the actions of the various political parties in the Talensi constituency during the Talensi elections do not auger well for Ghana’s democracy.

Ghanatta Ayaric, living in Hamburg (Germany) spent his holidays in Ghana. Among other important activities he founded the “Top Gong Fitness and Sports Club” (see August 1, 2015).

The District Chief Executive of Bulsa South, Hon Afiuc Elizabeth Jane, presented some educational materials to the Fumbisi English and Arabic Junior High School on Thursday. The donation was a follow up to a promise she made to award the best performing school in the District in the 2014 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

The items donated included 340 exercise books and 344 ball point pens worth 600 GHC and a desktop computer and its accessories to aid in the teaching and learning of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Receiving the items on behalf of the pupils and staff, the head teacher, Mr. Adocta Ben, expressed his gratitude to the chief executive for the kind gesture and assured her that the items, especially the computer, would be put to good use to enhance the teaching and learning process in the school. Mr. Adocta mentioned the low enrollment of pupils, lack of tables for teachers and furniture for pupils as some of the major challenges facing the school and appealed to the District Assembly to urgently come to their aid.

The Sandema Muslim Community has joined the entire world to celebrate the Edul-fitre after 30 days of fasting. The Edul-fitre is an Islamic festival celebrated to mark the end of Ramadan, a month long fasting period for Muslims.

Speaking during the celebration, the district chief Imam, Jamaldeen Seidu Seinu thanked the Muslim community for committing themselves to the Islam religion and abiding the rules and regulations governing the region throughout the fasting month period.

The MP for Bulsa North Constituency, Hon. James Agalga, who joined the Muslim community during the Edul-fitre celebration was full of praise to the Muslim community for their prayer support during the country’s hard times. According to him, it was during the fasting period that the cedi recovered against the dollar. Therefore it is believed that the 30 days fasting of all the Muslims across the country have been accepted by the Almighty.

The purpose of the meeting is to review all activities undertaken by the school, deliberate on the challenges the school is facing and find appropriate measures to solving them.

Speaking at the occasion, the headmaster of the school Mr. Patrick Tangonyire expressed his satisfaction with the frequency of visits paid by parents to the school to check their performance and to dialogue with the school authorities to shape the behaviours of the students, especially deviant ones.

He said in 2014 the school presented a total of 724 students to sit for the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (WASSCE). Out of this number, 59 qualified for entry into tertiary institution. Also 659 students passed whiles 70 failed the examination.

The Chairman of the PTA, Mr. Vesper Akanyiti, called on parents to put efforts together to get bungalows for the teachers to stay on campus.

He said the school within the years paid for teacher incentives and over GHC 2000 for the light bill of the school. It was agreed by the parents who attended the meeting to levy GHC 15 [per child?] to start a Teachers’ bungalow project.

He urged parents to pay their wards’ school fees for the school to be able to run the school effectively.

The Parent Teacher Association (PTA) of the Sandema Senior High School handed over GHC 75,694.20 to the school for one office and a three-room store to help protect food stocks from going bad due to poor storage condition.

The Board Chairman of the school Nab John Akisibadek Adangabe, chief of Kadema, used the occasion to urge parents to begin to see their children as an investment that will bring good returns to them and the country as a whole.

The Bulsa North Assistant District Environmental Health Officer, Mr. Simon Abdulla, said that 318 out of the 620 litter bins received from the Regional Coordinating Council have been distributed. According to him, the distribution is in phases and the first phase has been completed. He added that the Environmental Department will collaborate with the sanitation company Zoom Lion Ghana to empty the bins. He said they have not reached an agreement yet and that is the reason why the bins get full without prompt disposal of refuse.

Mr. Simon Abdulla also mentioned that the office has adequate staffing to clean the gutters to avoid flooding in Sandema township ahead of expected heavy rains.

About 20 farming groups received NPK fertilizer [containing the chemical elements nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and Potassium (K)] from BUCO Bank and MOFA [Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration] initiative.

The Bulsa Community Bank in collaboration with the Ministry of Food and Agriculture has distributed 400 bags of NPK fertilizer to 20 farmer groups in the Bulsa District, operating under the Northern Rural Growth Program.

According to him, the farmers are expected to pay back with interest after harvesting their crops in the next 3 months. Mr. Steven Degbor said the supply of the NPK fertilizer to the farming groups has come at the right time because farmers still have the opportunity to farm maize and other crops, as more rains are expected. He advised farmers not to default on their loan payment because defaulters will be dropped from the program next year.

The collection of Bulsa material culture, which up to this time had been exhibited at the Institute of Ethnology of the University of Münster, was transferred to the Museum FORUM DER VÖLKER at Werl (Westphalia, Germany) where it is open to a general public (see March 10^th, 2016).

Girls in the Sandema Senior high school, sponsored by Camfed [Campaign for Female Education], have organized a clean-up exercise in the Suwarinsa Community as part of their social contribution to community development. The girls numbering about 240 under the supervision of some teachers cleaned the Sandema Old Primary School premises, the Sandema Senior High School premises and the residential area of some district assembly officers.

The students later converged at the Sandema Old Primary school where they staged a drama at a community sensitization durbar to educate the community members on the benefits of female child education and the activities of Camfed.

The teacher mentor at the School, Madam Nancy Atuick, disclosed that Camfed is sponsoring about three million girls in Ghana in 31 operational districts. In the Bulsa North district, Camfed operates in 25 basic schools and one Senior High School.

She encouraged the community members to enroll their girls in the Sandema Senior High School in order for them to benefit from the Camfed education support programme. She lamented that a quota of 20 girls needed to be sponsored in the MasterCard Foundation programme; only three met the criteria of aggregate 18 or below.

Bulsa South District Chief Executive handed over some complete projects to beneficiary communities in the district. The projects include a community library at Kanjaga, a kindergarten in Jiningsa-Yipaala and a 3-unit JHS Classroom block for Gbedem-Jagsa-Guuta.

The Management of the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority Millennium Village Project (SADA-MVP) has organized a two day capacity building workshop for all heads of department in the Bulsa South District.

The workshop, held at the Fumbisi Senior High Agriculture School, started on July 28th and ended July 29th. The workshop was aimed at equipping heads of department with knowledge on monitoring, evaluating, and proposal writing.

The Bulsa North District Assembly held its mid-year review meeting at the District Assembly Conference Hall in Sandema. The meeting brought together heads of department, NGOs, as well as staff of the Assembly.

The Top Gong Fitness and Youth Boxing Club [Top Gong Fitness and Sports Club] started work out activities at the Feok durbar grounds. The work out activities which started at 6am include; fitness drills and boxing training. The keep-fit-activity was attended by youth and middle aged males and females.

The participants of the activity were very thankful to the organizers and trainers for establishing a fitness and youth boxing club for helping them to exercise. Most of the participants had not undertaken any form of keep-fit exercise for a long period and were grateful to be part of the Top Gong fitness training (see article in Buluk 9).

Mr. Francis Asianab Afoko died in Tamale and was buried in Sandema. He was the head of the Ayieta Royal Family in Sandema, but had lived many years of his life in Bolgatanga as a businessman and the owner and manager of the Central Hotel.

In 2001 Asianab Afoko was elected (and re-elected in 2005) to represent the Upper East Region in the Council of State, where he advised President John Agyekun Kufuor, whose close confidant he was said to have been. He was the father of Paul Afoko, then the National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Less known than his commercial and political achievements is Asianab’s writing a history of the royal house of Sandema (The Ayietas. Unpublished typescript, 1970). Although this work had been copied with permission by Rev. James Agalic and transcribed by Prof. Rüdiger Schott in 2005, it would be worthwhile printing at least a paperbound edition to enable educated Bulsa to read and discuss Asianab’s historical report and personal views.

Some flood victims in the Wiesi Community in the Bulsa South District are still counting their losses as water submerged their farms causing havoc to their crops.

The flood which occurred on last Friday came as a surprise to many of the farmers as their farm produce were not ready for harvest.

Due to the high level of the water, the Bulsa South District National Disaster Management Organization Coordinator, Mr. Jonas Azantilow, navigated the area in a canoe to assess the extent of damage caused. He reported that about 974 acres of maize and more than 200 acres of watermelon farms have been destroyed by the flood.

Provisional results trickling in on the District Assembly Elections from the various electoral areas in Sandema indicate that almost all the incumbent assembly members except those who went unopposed have lost.

In the Longsa/Kobdema electoral area, Hon. Grace Abaayiak lost to young Edward Atuiri.

In the Kori electoral area Mr. Dennis Abasiwie lost to new entrant Evans Adochim.

In Diborinsa/Akuri-yeri Kandema electoral area one of the four women in the last Assembly, Madam Gladys Akanaamwie lost to Stephen Issaka alias Kunzus.

In the Bilinsa Electoral Area, Godwin Akandebaning ‘Atomtebanya’ polled 369 votes but still lost to Acheampong Aguuta who won with 405 votes.

In Awusiyeri-Achogyeri, the only contested incumbent, Hon. Joe Asuok, maintained his place against John Akumasi.

In the Abiliyeri Electoral Area, Alhaji Rauf Avade aka Akruu beat incumbent Madam Victoria Mahama Aganalie.

All four women of the previous assembly will no longer represent their electoral areas in the next assembly.

155 persons filed nomination to be members of the 31 unit committees. Out of this number 13 were females and 142 males. 11 females and 171 males were elected, putting the total number elected at 182. The unit committee election recorded 32% turn out in the Bulsa North District.

In the Bulsa South District, 51 persons filed for nomination in the 20 electoral areas. Out of this number 4 were females and 47 were males. Only 1 female managed to win whilst the remaining 19 assembly positions were won by men. Total turnout in the assembly election was 54%.

In the unit committee elections, 111 persons filed for nomination to be members of the 20 unit committees. 15 were females and 96 males. 10 females and 78 males were elected to represent their communities at the unit committee level at the next Assembly.

The Asam-bisa Youth Association was on Saturday revamped at the Teachers Hall in Tamale. The association is made up of citizens of Sandema residing in Tamale.

The ceremony which was characterised by lots of fun and comradeship brought together indigenes of Sandema both within and outside Tamale as well as other Bulsa who hail from others parts of the Bulsa land.

In a welcome address, the chairman for the Association, Mr Atiimbisa Francis, said the association has been in existence for a good number of years. Hence it was necessary to make it active as it used to be. He said the main reason behind the rebirth of the association is to foster unity among citizens of Sandema based in Tamale and also to contribute their quota towards the development of Buluk.

Speaking as the guest speaker, the District Chief Executive for Bulsa North, Hon Bonaventure Adangabe, said since he assumed the office of the DCE, there have been a number of developmental projects carried out by government, the assembly and the MP for Bulsa North. Some of the projects he catalogued include: the extension of the maternity ward of the Sandema hospital, the building of CHPS compounds dotted around the district, the drilling of boreholes by the MP among others. He also mentioned that, street lights will soon be mounted from the Sandema Senior High/Technical School to the Azuelie link junction and from there it will be extended beyond Radio Bulsa.

The incumbent Member of Parliament for the Bulsa North Constituency and Deputy Minister for the Interior, Hon. Lawyer James Agalga, has filled his nomination form to re-run on the ticket of the national democratic congress NDC in the Bulsa north for the 2016 parliamentary and presidential elections.

He was emphatic that any contender who attempts to contest him in the November 7th parliamentary and presidential primaries in the constituency would be beaten miserably.

He added that the primaries will be held on the 7th of November as proposed by the NDC party’s national executives; therefore aspirants should desist from politics of insults so as to elect the best candidate to lead the party to victory in the 2016 elections.

In a related development, the former member of parliament for the Bulsa north constituency Hon. Timothy Ataboade has urged the NDC party members in the Bulsa constituency to give him a second chance to lead the party in the coming presidential and parliamentary elections.

According to him, he is ready to correct the mistakes he made during his time as the MP for the constituency.

Hon. Timothy Ataboade called on the party sympathizers in the constituency to strengthen the peace and unity that had existed within the party for the past years, adding that any party supporter or executive who has any grievances should channel them to the appropriate authority for redress.

Honourable Timothy Ataboade after filing his nomination later with his entourage toured the Sandema Market to exchange pleasantries with the market women and to announce his second coming.

The Chief and people of the Wiaga Community celebrated the 68th anniversary of the death of late Nab Joseph Azenab Ateng who was the first chief of the Wiaga community.

The celebration took place at the forecourts of the Wiaga Chief’s Palace and the St. Francis Xavier Parish and was under the theme: Unity and Development.

Nab Joseph Azenab Ateng was born in the second half of the nineteenth century to Nab Ateng Aboama and Madam Akannagayire from Kadem. He became the chief of Wiaga in the year 1909 after succeeding his late father.

The late Nab Azenab is remembered not only by the people of Wiaga but the entire Buluk for his active role in supporting Christianity in the area.

In the year 1927, when the white missionaries arrived in the Wiaga community and asked for land to settle for evangelism, Nab Azenab accepted them with the vision that in future, the missionaries would contribute significantly in areas such as education, health and agriculture that would lead to the transformation of the Wiaga community and Buluk.

Nab Azenab died on Wednesday, 17th September 1947. He was baptized on his sick bed and given the name Joseph. In 1956 the family and the entire people of Buluk thought it wise to annually celebrate him as a late hero, on the 17th of every September.

The headmaster for the Sandema Senior High School, Mr. Patrick Tangonyire, stated that the improvement of the water situation in the school has influenced the performance of the students in the 2015 West African Certificate Examination (WACE). He said previously students used to spend judicious hours in search of water to the detriment of their studies but now the situation has received a massive improvement. He said the school presented 579 students in the 2015 WACE of which no student registered a complete failure.

Mr. Patrick Tangonyire made this known on Wednesday in a speech during the commissioning of two mechanized boreholes provided to the school by the Living Word United Methodist Church in the United States of America. The headmaster therefore expressed gratitude to the church and promised that the taps would be properly maintained to serve their intended purpose.

Two students have received a total amount of GHC 1,400 from Hon. Agalga, the MP for Bulsa North, for attaining distinctions in the 2015 BECE (Basic Education Certificate Examination). Each of the students took home GHC 750 Ghana for the cost of their admission fees.

The Students, Miss Afulang Carolina from Success International School and Master Asiak Nathanial from Sandema Preparatory who had aggregate 7 and 8 respectively, thanked the MP for the support.

Six other students also benefited from the same quantum of money from the MP for obtaining distinctions in the 2015 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE).

A seven member steering committee has been inaugurated to oversee the Ghana’s Strengthening Accountability Mechanisms Project- GSAM. The GSAM project is a five-year USAID-funded project that seeks to strengthen citizens’ oversight of capital projects to improve local government transparency, accountability and performance.

CARE International Ghana, IBIS Ghana and the Integrated Social Development Centre (ISODEC) are working together as a Consortium with the Foundation for Integrated and Strategic Development (FISTRAD) as one of their implementation partners. The project which started in 2014 will end in 2019 and will cover 100 districts in the country. In the upper east region, six districts are captured under the project, these include: the Bulsa North and South Districts, Kasena-Nankana Municipal, Pusiga, Bawku West as well as the Garu district.

The Bulsa North District Assembly in collaboration with the District Agric Department has organized this year`s district farmer’s day to honour gallant farmers who in diverse ways contributed to the growth of the country.

In the Bulsa North district the overall best farmer of the year was Mr Abombisa Adung from the Kandema community. He took home a Hoajin motor cycle

The Chiefs and people of the Bulsa Traditional area have climaxed the 2015 Feok Festival celebration.

The weeklong celebration successfully ended on Friday (December 18) with a grand durbar of chiefs, people of the Bulsa Traditional Area, other Paramount Chiefs within the Upper East Region, people from the sister traditional areas, DCEs for Bulsa North and South and other sister districts, the Upper East Regional Minister and his Deputy, the two Members of Parliament for both Bulsa North and South and His Excellency Adanzi Kangah Member of Council of State.

The annual Feok Festival is to commemorate the victory over Babatu, the slave raider, who was defeated in the 19th century by Bulsa warriors. Delivering his key note address, the overlord of the Bulsa Traditional Area, His Royal Highness Naab Azaksuk Azantinlow II, thanked all dignitaries who travelled from far and near to witness the festival.

According to him, bush burning and indiscriminate felling of trees contribute to the shorter rains as witnessed within the area lately thereby reducing agricultural production. Naab Azaksuk Azantinlow further noted: It is important to plant and grow trees adding that the late venerated overlord [Azantilow I] showed the way and took the lead by planting trees along the roads and the principal streets of Sandema.

Speaking on the health of the people the paramount chief appealed to the district Assemblies to cease issuing licence for the sale of Akpeteshie. He said there are better ways of generating and increasing the internally generated funds of the Assemblies than the imposition of Akpeteshie fees

The Upper East Regional Minister, Hon. James Zuugah Tiigah, commended the Chiefs and organizers for sustaining the celebration of the Feok Festival for the past 41 years. He said culture has become a rich business because of its inextricable link to tourism and creative arts as it is the 4th highest foreign exchange earner in Ghana.

He added that a research conducted by the coalition of NGOs in health in 2014 ranked the Upper East Region as the most alcohol consuming region in Ghana adding that the narcotics control board also established that the three regions of the north account for 60% of all drugs abuse cases in Ghana which captured the young people between the age of 18 to 35 years.

The Member of Parliament for the Bulsa North Constituency and Deputy Interior Minister, Hon. James Agalga, assured the Paramount Chief of their support in the fight against the high consumption of the locally manufactured drink popularly known as Akpeteshi.

He said through the initiative of both the Bulsa north and south MPs they will be providing 100 toilet facilities to help address the sanitation challenges facing the two districts.

The Community Base Rehabilitation CBR in Sandema organized a four day’s intensive training on Shea butter for soap production for twenty women with disabilities in the Bulsa District.

The training is aimed among other things to equip Women with disabilities in the district with the necessary knowledge and employable skills on how to produce quality Shea butter to meet the demand of consumers and buyers.

Among the speakers were Mr Maxwell Akandema, Coordinator Director of the Community Base Rehabilitation, Madam Rita Dampson, the training instructor and some of the participants.

The installation of a queen mother in Buluk has been received with great excitement from the citizenry especially the women. On Friday 18th December, 2015 during the climax of the annual Feok Festival, her royal ladyship Poknab Atebalie Azantilow was introduced as the first ever queen mother in Buluk.

Discussing her installation on the Radio Bulsa Weekend Review talk show on Saturday evening, panellists on the programme expressed commendation to the chiefs of the traditional area for the selection of a queen mother. They said women issues will now be given much prominence because she will serve as the mouth piece for women at the traditional council.

Mr. Richard Alando, who appeared on the programme with Mr. Matin Akandawon, Mr. Denis Abasiwie as well as Mr. John Acheampong suggested that an office space should be created for her to fully function. He expressed delight in the fact that FISTRAD played a part in advocating for the installation of the queen mother.

A delegation from the Builsa Traditional Council led by the outgoing Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Daniel A. Syme, called on the President of the Republic of Ghana, Mr. John Dramani Mahama at the Flagstaff House (Accra). The delegation included chiefs, Members of Parliament, government appointees and some high-ranking public officials and private personalities from the area.

The President spoke about efforts the government was making to elevate some divisional chiefs to paramount status. He also stated that the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA) was working with other partners to create an irrigation project in the Fumbisi Valley that would cover 10,000 hectares of agricultural land.

Naab Azagsuk Azantinlow II, who was introduced to the President as the new Paramount Chief of the Bulsa Traditional Area, commended the President for the numerous development projects, but he also drew the President’s attention to some Bulsa roads to bring relief to the people.

From left to right: James Agalga (MP and Deputy Minister of the Interior), Lydia Bawa, Sylvester Atiteng Azantilow, Daniel Syme (Deputy Minister of the UER), Alhassan Azong (MP and Minister of State in charge of Public Sector Reforms), Chief of Wiaga...(left of the President:) Chief of Wiesi, President John Dramani Mahama, Paramount Chief Azagsuk Azantilow, Chief of Siniensi, Chief of Kadema, Joe Syme, Clement Apaak (Presidential staffer and MP candidate for Bulsa South

The President greeting the Paramount Chief

A new department containing Franz Kröger’s collection of Bulsa material culture was opened at the Werl Ethnographic Museum “Forum der Völker” (Forum of Peoples). Before, the objects had been exhibited in the Department of Ethnology of the University of Münster, where the small exhibition room had not been accessible to a general public.

The inauguration of the permanent Bulsa exhibition in Werl took place in the auditorium of the museum. After an introduction by Fr. Reinhard Kellerhoff (OSF), the director of the museum, Franz Kröger held a colour-slide speech on “The material culture of the Bulsa” and afterwards guided the visitors through the two rooms of the new department. A small catalogue was distributed to the visitors.