By: Araphat Dimah

The 13th edition of the Gandawii Naabahilime Festival, celebrated by the Chiefs and People of Pulima Traditional Area, commenced with a call for harmony in diversity to ensure peaceful elections. The theme for this year’s festival, “Harmony in Diversity: Empowering Voices for Peaceful Elections,” resonated throughout the community.Kuoru Deiwia Osman Nankpa III, addressing a diverse audience, urged citizens to exercise restraint and circumspection during the upcoming 2024 elections: “Elections 2024 is very crucial for the two major political parties in their quest to get the mandate of Ghanaians to lead us, but even more crucial is the need for Ghana to remain intact and peaceful, before, during and after the elections.”The traditional leader emphasized the importance of unity among the Sissala people: “Let me further appeal to my people gathered here, that we are first Sissala people before we choose to belong to different political parties. In essence, we can choose our political parties, but we did not choose to be born Sissalas.”Campaign Success Against Unlawful Tree FellingKuoru Deiwia Osman Nankpa III reported substantial success in curbing the unlawful felling of shea and African locust trees (Dawa Dawa tree) in the Pulima Traditional Area. He highlighted the community’s vigilant efforts, leading to only three incidents throughout the year. The traditional leader acknowledged the collaboration with the Forestry Commission and the Sissala West District Assembly and appealed for continued support.Infrastructure Developments and Concerns AddressedThe traditional leader expressed gratitude for government projects earmarked for the traditional area under the SOCO Program. However, he raised concerns about delayed payments to contractors, road developments, and the exclusion of Sissala land from the EU farm access roads project.“We are grateful to the government for a few projects earmarked for the traditional area under the SOCO Program. However, we would equally be happy to have a road between Pulima and Silbelle,” Kuoru Deiwia Osman Nankpa III stated. The community urged the government to fulfill promises made regarding infrastructure development.Health and Education AppealsIn his address, the traditional leader appealed for attention to the CHPS Compound projects and the construction of a maternity block at Pulima. Additionally, the call for a Polyclinic and the need for Day-Care blocks in various schools within the traditional area were emphasized. The uncompleted 3-unit classroom block in Bulo, outstanding under the NDA project, was brought to the government’s attention.Water Access and Borehole Appeal for Pulima Traditional AreaExpressing gratitude for the provision of boreholes in the traditional area, Kuoru Deiwia Osman Nankpa III appealed for a borehole at the Palace in Pulima. He passionately requested both the Honorable MP and government representatives to consider this plea for clean water access for the community and the chief: “Let my people drink water, but let the chief also drink.”Call for Stakeholder Compromise on DCE NominationConcluding his speech, the traditional leader appealed to all stakeholders within the district to compromise on their differences and confirm the President’s nominee for DCE for West, Mr. Mahamud Forkah (Ashanti). The plea was made for the overall progress and development of the district: “We use this occasion to appeal to all stakeholders within and the district to compromise on our differences and confirm the President’s nominee for DCE for West, Mr. Mahamud Forkah (Ashanti), for the forward much of the district.