The Sandem-Nab Azagsuk Azantilow, Paramount Chief of the Builsa Traditional Area in the Upper East Region has appealed to government to equipment the newly constructed mortuary facility for the Sandema Hospital with a cold system to preserve corpses.
The only mortuary facility, built in 2020 by a Road Constructor as part of his corporate social responsibility, would have served the entire Builsa land, some communities in the Kassena-Nankana West District and Yagaba in the Mamprugu-Moagduri District of the North East Region, but for the lack of a cold system.
Checks by this reporter at the Hospital indicated that management had to resort to an old equally unequipped mortuary facility to temporally keep corpses, while some corpses were immediately released to relatives for burial or preservation either in Navrongo or Bolgatanga.
The reporter also gathered that despite several appeals and proposals by management of the Hospital to government, Non-Governmental Organizations, philanthropists and individuals, to help equip the new mortuary, there was no positive response.
Nab Azantilow thanked government for the ‘Agenda III Project’ which was progressing steadily at Fumbisi in the Builsa South District, and requested for the installation of the cold system to save residents the stress of travelling outside the Traditional area for mortuary services.
He made the appeal in a speech read on his behalf at this year’s annual Feok festival celebration which also marked his 10th Anniversary celebration as Paramount Chief, and President of the Builsa Traditional Council.
It was on the theme: “My 10 years reign of peaceful coexistence among the people of the Builsa Traditional Area,” and brought together sons and daughters of Buluk within and outside the country.
The Paramount Chief thanked management of Ghana Gas Company for the recent installation of a power plant for the Hospital which was hitherto plunged into darkness with the frequent erratic power supply in the area.
He further appealed for ultra-modern X-ray facility for the Saint Lucas Health Centre at Wiaga, a community near Sandema, the Municipal capital, for effective health service delivery.
Nab Azantilow indicated that the project earmarked for this year’s Feok festival was to get the Buli language into the Ghana Education Service curriculum.
“Among all the Northern languages taught and written in the Ghana Education Service curriculum, it was only the Buli language that is yet to be recognized, accepted and incorporated into the curriculum.
“The outcome of this, has therefore left the people of Builsa with a sense of desperation which affects our cultural heritage and pride. This also threatens our future social advancement, especially the youth,” the Chief added.
Nab Azantilow commended government for the Free Senior High School (Free SHS) policy, and appealed for some bottlenecks of the policy to be addressed in order to derive the full benefits of the programme as a nation.
He said the Azantilow SHS, and the Sandema Technical Institute were in dire need of means of transport, while the Sandema SHS since its establishment in 1994, has no Assembly Hall.
