Obore Gariba Yankosor the Paramount chief of Tatale Traditional Area has appealed to the Government to see to it that the contractor working on the Yendi- Zabzugu-Tatale road provides them with a quality work. He said the people of his area were happy that the dream of having a tarred road from Tamale the Regional Capital to Tatale was rapidly becoming a reality but the contractor is not providing quality work on the road. According to the paramount chief he had the opportunity to travel on the road and discovered that barely a year after construction, some portions of the road was getting bad. He said the road was an international road linking Togo, Benin and Nigeria and generated revenue for the country and should therefore be given quality works to stand the test of time. He appealed to the authorities responsible for the monitoring of the project to scale up their monitoring role to ensure a good road was built. The paramount chief Obore Yankosor made the appeal in a speech read on his behalf during the launching of the Bassare Yam Festival on the Theme: Development Unity and Peace at Tatale, in Tatale/Sanguli District of Northern Region. He said the compensation to individuals whose livelihood was affected as a result of the construction had also raised some concerns and called on government to adequately compensate them. The paramount chief Obore Yankosor said the launch of the Basare Yam Festival was celebrated by their forefathers years immemorial and it was unfortunate that their generation was observing a truncation of most of their cultural rites. He reminded them that cultural heritage was important to them because it bridged the gap between generations and gave them a sense of direction and purpose. He indicated that they could not underestimate the importance of festival like the Bassare communities within and outside the country the opportunity to come home as a reunion with the families left behind for such a longer time. He said the home coming further exposed a lot to the indigenous to wn and other crucial rites of the Bassare in Ghana, Tatale. He said besides it was also observed as the period of closing a farming season which during the period preparations were made to usher them into a new season of cultivation of their staple crod, the Yam, and added that through the celebration of the festival, the gods of the land were appeased and pacified for a successful season, and with other sacrifices were performed on individual and clans for sanctification and protection. According to the paramount chief they intended to continue and revitalize the celebration of the festival next year 14th September, 2024 is the scheduled date for a durbar of chiefs which would be done in the second week of 14th September annually. Obore Yankosor said they were positioned to reflect together deeply on their journey for development unity and peace their weakness that need improvement and strength that ought to be sustained. He said the period would be used to demonstrate their victory over famine which was known as 'likpaasil'. He said a committee will be put in place for preparation towards the festival in his closing remarks. Mr. Henry Mbini who chaired the occasion said the Yam festival could bring development by inviting investors, politicians, NGOS among others to celebrate with them. He said Tatale was a Yam farming community where people bought yams to celebrate their festivals and called on the farmers in the area to seek advice from the Agricultural officers on the modern system to promote large production of yams and other crops. He warned them to desist from indiscriminate bush burning which could destroy farms during the dry season. Some of the chiefs who were present at the launching include Obore Kwawai simon -Lakpale, obore Kojo Magalo Sheini, Queen Mother of Tatale Yaa Mbola, Ali Jimba Bekanbanbi, Obore Poku Ngariba Bebubagbu Sogloo -Bore Kpante Batube amongst others Source: Ghana News Agency