Bissa Community commended for their hardwork

Kulungugu (UE) April 5, GNA - Mr Mustapha Hamid, Minister for Information has commended the Bissa community for their development oriented nature towards nation building.

Mr Hamid said the Bissa people who were mostly dominant in Bawku in the Upper East Region were considered the hard working tribe in Ghana as they were seen in all aspects of the working class.

Mr Hamid indicated that, in the early days of Ghana, majority of the Bissa people who are known for their proactive nature, were voluntarily recruited into the Armed Forces, Police Service and other agencies where their services were needed in contributing to nation building.

Mr Hamid made the commendation when he addressed Chiefs and People of the Bissa community at the weekend during the 14th edition of the Zekula Festival celebrated by the Bissas at Kulungugu near Bawku in the Upper East Region.

Speaking on the theme: “Sustaining our cultural heritage for peace and development”, Mr Hamid noted that, culture was a tool needed for sustaining human development, especially the Ghanaian youth as it re-directed them when they went wayward.

He said there was the need for stakeholders including the traditional authority, the clergy and parents to ensure children adhered to the norms, customs and traditions of the Ghanaian setting, explaining that when that was done it would create room for the younger generations to develop love and affection for their community and country.

He said it would revoke the spirit of communalism, sense of patriotism and foster unity for a sustainable peace in the communities.

The Minister encouraged them to take interest in government’s flagship programmes such as planting for food and jobs, one district one factory.

Naba Zito Barichie, Chief of the area commended government for taking the welfare of the people paramount by providing the area with some social infrastructure.

Naba Barichie said even though government had reacted positively by responding to some of the concerns of the people in the area, it was still challenged with poor water system, educational and health infrastructure among others.

He lamented on the poor road network that had affected the socio-economic activities of the people and called on stakeholders and government to attend to the situation since the challenges could affect progress of government’s flagship programmes.

Hajia Laadi Ayishietu Ayamba, Member of Parliament (MP) for the area charged parents and traditional authority to frown on obnoxious cultural practices such as the Female Genital Mutilations (FGM), negative widowhood practices among others and said such practices were dehumanising.

Hajia Ayamba urged the people to champion the course to fight against early and child marriage so that the young girls would get access to quality education and mature, in order to contribute their quota meaningfully to the community.

She called on all to join the crusade in the fight against these practices since they were hindering the development of women and girls in the communities.

The festival which is meant to get together Bissas was characterised by cultural performances such as horse dancing, war dancing, hunting expeditions, blacksmithing and cultural dance from the various Bissa clans among others to remind them of activities of their ancestors engaged in for survival. 

GNA

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