The government will spend a large size of its budgetary allocations on the developing of tourist attractions, markets, dug-outs and dams as a way of fighting poverty and unemployment in rural areas.

In that respect, it will also step up educational programmes on the use of such projects for users to become self-reliant in society. Mr. Sahanun Mogtari, Upper West Regional Minister said this when he addressed the chiefs and people of Sankana Traditional Area, during their annual Kalibi festival celebration on Saturday.

Kalibi festival is celebrated by the people of the area to commemorate the 1896 Great War between the people of Sankana and notorious slave traders led by Sameri Touri and Babattu.

It is also celebrated to unify the people of Sankana area who had to flee to settle at other areas of the region because of the slave raiders at the time.

Mr. Mogtari urged the chiefs to use the festival and youth association meetings to educate the people on sensitive and pertinent issues such as HIV/AIDS, pre0marital sex and girl-child education.

Mr. Mogtari said, HIV/AIDS in particular, is increasing at an alarming rate and therefore, there is the need for concerted and constant efforts from traditional heads, parents, teachers and government officials to educate the people on it.

He said the government would soon fence the Sankana dam, which is the largest in the region, and solicit for irrigation projects to facilitate the activities of farmers in the area.

Ana Saeki Kungbeli Mornah II, divisional chief of the Sankana Traditional Area called on the government to develop the Sankana war caves to attract tourists from both within and outside the country.

He also appealed to the government to upgrade the health post to a clinic with qualified health personnel to ease their long-standing problem of travelling to Kaleo and Wa for medical treatment.

The festival attracted a lot of people from Wa, Kaleo, Fian, Jeffesi, Billaw, Nandom and Lambussie