Wa (Upper West), 20th August 99

Alhaji Ali Pelpuo, Wa District Chief Executive, has described a chieftaincy dispute at Wa as "particularly explosive" and called on people who have the development of the area at heart to prevail on the disputing factions to resolve it out of court.

He said the case would not be expected to end soon adding that the people risked becoming "backward and cultureless" as it protracted.

Alhaj Pelpuo made the observation when he addressed the second ordinary meeting of the Wa District Assembly last Wednesday.

The DCE said the Wa Na's palace which is a unique architectural showpiece in the country is almost crumbling because it has no occupants and wondered whether it will not serve any purpose if the District Assembly and the Museums and Monuments Board renovated it.

He appealed to chiefs, elders and landowners (Tendambas) as well as all those who have authority to choose a Wa Na to "bury their hatred for each other because the Wala tribe is loosing its cultural identity as a result of their selfish pursuits."

On development projects, Alhaji Pelpuo said 28 pavilions have been earmarked for cladding this year while a pond for animals and the rehabilitation of the Wa community centre had been awarded on contract.

He was not happy about low revenue collection in the district and said in order to arrest this trend, a number of non-performing revenue collectors have had their salaries stopped until they will account for short falls in their collections.

Mr. Pede Ziedeng, Upper West regional Deputy Minister, expressed concern about the low enrolment of girls in schools and their high drop-out rate and asked the assembly to adopt measures to address this problem.

He told the assembly to implement without further delay its bye-laws to check defecation at unauthorised places and the putting up of unauthorised structures.

Reacting to concerns expressed by some assembly members on the non-celebration of the 'Dumba' festival in Wa, Mr. Ziedeng said the festival could be celebrated anywhere in the district except the precincts of the Wa Na's palace because it is a subject matter in the current litigation.