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| Trees ready to be taken out of a nursery |
Naba Baba Salifu Aleemyaarum, Bongo Naaba, has commended UNDP for supporting the climate change project for sustainable development. He further called on indigenes of the area to contribute to an educational endowment Fund he launched two years ago.
He made the call during the celebration of the "Azabene" festival celebrated annually by the Citizens of Bongo in remembrance of the migration of their fore bearers from Nalerigu to Bongo.
It was on the theme:"Culture Re-awakened to Promote Education, Sustainable Environment and Afforestation".
The Paramount Chief stated that Government alone cannot bear the cost of development especially, education hence the need for individuals and groups to contribute to make education accessible to all.
Naba Aleemyaarum indicated that there was much pressure on the Bongo District Assembly and the Common Fund and the Member of Parliament for area and said it was incumbent for people in the area to help.
He said that the Fund had supported five students to the Senior High School with one of them about to enroll at the University for Development Studies.
According to Bongo Naaba, there were a number of brilliant and needy students in the area who needed support to further their education and said if they got support through the fund it would develop the human resource base of the district.
He therefore appealed to the citizens of Bongo especially those living outside the district and in foreign countries to contribute to educational fund.
On some of his developmental activities, he said he had initiated a climate change project dubbed: " Green Bongo for Sustainable Development" sponsored by the UNDP where trees are being planted in 13 communities out of the 32 communities in the area.
He said so far many of the trees planted last season were doing well as he had assigned people to take care of them adding:" The communities have been sensitized in afforestation, indiscriminate bush burning, compost manure making and 30 fire volunteers also trained.
Naba Aleemyaarum said he had successfully curbed certain negative cultural practices that infringed the human rights of the people adding:"widowhood rites have been outlawed and that I would continue to ensure that other cultural practices that were harmful were also abolished."
He commended the District Assembly for supporting him on skin's climate change project and said the other remaining communities would also benefit from it.
Mrs. Lucy Awuni, the Upper East Deputy Regional Minister, commended the Bongo Naaba and elders of the Bongo skin for complementing the District Security Council efforts in maintaining and sustaining the peace in the area.
She urged to people of the area to continue to assist the state institutions such as the police, army, Judiciary among others by volunteering information on crime or commissions that were likely to undermine peace and development.
She appealed to the people in the area to take advantage of the pro-poor policies of government including the Savannah Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), the Northern Rural Growth Project (NRGP), the Shea-nut Development Board, Free School Uniforms and Exercise Books to enhance their living standard.
The District Chief Executive for Bongo, Mr. Clement Akugre said the District Assembly was more committed to education adding:" we spend large sums of money in the provision of educational infrastructure and sponsorship of students."
He indicated that the Assembly this year spent about 28,456 Ghana Cedis in sponsoring and assisting Senior High School Students, Teacher Trainees and Tertiary Students and appealed to parents to pay their children's school fees.
Updated: 30th December 2009
Ghana
