Tumu (Upper West), 16 Feb. '99, --

A workshop has been organised by the Sissala District Assembly for chiefs and elders to review the cost of funeral rights in the district. It was sponsored by Action Aid, a non governmental organisation operating in the Northern region. The workshop, which attracted 89 participants made up of chiefs, area council members and revenue collectors, seeks to reduce high funeral expenses and propose effective ways of revenue mobilisation. In a speech read for him, Mr Robert Wavei, the district chief executive said at present, the people spend over five days on funeral rights and slaughter between three and five cows and countless goats and sheep depending on the social status of a deceased. He said the workshop was important in view of the high funeral expenses which have impoverished many families. He called on the chiefs to use their authority in the traditional areas to assist revenue collectors to generate enough income to support the assembly's development projects. The DCE called on elders to reduce the number of funeral days from five to at most two days to save enough money for their children's education and for other things. Mr Wavei said the assembly is developing three major markets at Tumu, Fielmon and Bugubelle into commercial centres to enhance revenue generation. GRi