SPEECH FOR DAMBA FESTIVAL 2025 – Delivered by: Hon. Hajia Zuwera Mohammed Ibrahimah, MP for Salaga- South Constituency

14 September 2025

Theme: ‘Promoting Social Inclusion for Peaceful Co-existence and Sustainable Development’

1. His Royal Highness Kpembewura Ndefuso Banbange (IV), the allodial title owner of the land and people of the Kpembe Traditional Area, Distinguished Divisional Chiefs and Sub-Chiefs, our cherished Queens, Imams, Elders, Royals, Warriors of the land, my cherished Constituents, Distinguished Guests, Salaam Alaikum.

2. It is with great joy and a sense of responsibility that I stand before you today at the Kpembewura Palace, celebrating this significant Damba festival. This is a momentous occasion, marking the first Damba since my re-election and that of H.E. President John Dramani Mahama, as we embark on our second term to serve Ghana with renewed dedication.

3. Taste the Goodness: EL Blends All-Natural Cold-Pressed Juices

   It is an immense honor to stand before you today, as your Member of Parliament for Salaga South, to partake in the vibrant celebration of the 2025 Damba Festival. As a proud daughter of this land, the rhythms of the Damba drums and the spirit of our Gonja heritage resonate deeply within me. The Damba festival is a vibrant celebration of our rich heritage, history, and chieftaincy, reflecting the spirit of unity and peace inherent in the teachings of Prophet Mohammed (S.A.W), as highlighted by Kpembewura’s dedication of the 2025 Damba. Let us cherish these traditions while embracing progress and development.

 

1. This year’s theme, Promoting Social Inclusion for Peaceful Co-existence and Sustainable Development, is a powerful call to action that mirrors the essence of our cultural traditions. The Damba Festival, with its rich ceremonies—the arrival of chiefs and guests, the picking of rice, the slaughtering of cows, the mesmerizing Damba dance, and the grand durbar—serves as a living testament to our unity, resilience, and collective identity. These traditions are not merely celebrations of the past; they are a foundation upon which we can build a prosperous future for our constituency, a largely rural area with untapped potential.

 

1. Our culture teaches us the value of togetherness. The communal efforts seen in the festival’s activities reflect the social inclusion we need to foster peace across our communities. As your MP, I have worked tirelessly to translate this spirit of unity into tangible progress. Over the past years, we have achieved significant milestones: electricity projects have brought light to our homes and businesses, telephony network improvements have connected our voices to the world, and the construction of new schools, alongside negotiations for additional ones, is equipping our children for a brighter future. The establishment of the Weighing Bay in Salaga has boosted local trade, while borehole construction at SASS has provided clean water to our students. Most importantly, through numerous initiatives, we have created job opportunities for our youth, empowering them to contribute to our shared prosperity.

 

1. Distinguished Chiefs and people of the Salaga South Constituency, our government led by H.E. President John Dramani Mahama is resolute in its commitment to reset Ghana, focusing on key areas that will transform our nation, and of particular reference to the Salaga South Constituency, they include: Women Empowerment, Youth Development, Agriculture and Agro-industries, Health, and Education. These pillars are central to our vision for a prosperous Salaga South. I am pleased to announce significant strides made in establishing a monumental Agricultural and Agro-industrial project estimated at about Two Billion United States Dollars in East Gonja, spanning Kafaba to Makango, Kitoe, Kulpi, Sabonjida, Katanga, and beyond to Lonto and bounded by the Volta Lake. This initiative, driven by H.E. President John Dramani Mahama’s 24-hour Economy Policy under the Grow Ghana subsector, will irrigate 200,000 hectares of land for all year-round cultivation, develop associated Agro-industries including rice mills, oil mills, grain mills and meat processing, construct an inland port at Makango, and build agricultural estates and communities. A team from the 24-hour economy project will visit East Gonja in the coming weeks. This project is poised to create over 10,000 direct and indirect jobs, and I urge our youth to prepare themselves with the relevant skills to seize these opportunities.

 

1. In Salaga South, where rural challenges such as limited infrastructure, access to quality education, and healthcare persist, the Damba spirit inspires us to bridge these gaps. By embracing every member of our society—men and women, young and old, farmers and traders—we can create a harmonious environment conducive to development. My primary focus as your MP remains the improvement of road infrastructure, water and sanitation, hospital services, and youth and women empowerment initiatives. To this end, we are launching an aggressive road infrastructure development program to connect our communities and boost economic activity, while ongoing efforts in water and sanitation will ensure access to clean resources for all.

 

1. By Linking our cultural heritage to practical progress, I envision a constituency where the unity of Damba translates into transformative projects. Looking ahead, we are embarking on ambitious initiatives in education, healthcare, sanitation, and agriculture, with a focus on mechanization and improved farming methods to ensure our farmers thrive. Our recent engagements with Russian partners will bring student roadshows to inspire our youth, while a sister-city relationship with Novosibirsk will enhance access to water, advance STEM education, improve healthcare, and boost agriculture and ICT. Furthermore, I am delighted to inform you that work on the uncompleted Salaga Municipal Hospital is set to commence soon, marking a significant milestone in enhancing healthcare delivery in our constituency. Education remains a priority, aligning with our broader developmental agenda and prioritizing technical and vocational training for youth development and empowering our women to attain financial self-reliance.

 

1. It is with immense pleasure and a sense of purpose that I stand before you today, on the auspicious occasion of the Damba festival, to launch the Chief H.B. Braimah Education Fund. This initiative is a fulfillment of my electoral promise to prioritize education in Salaga South to address historical disparities and empower our people to compete in the global arena. Named after a distinguished son and traditional leader who served as the first MP of our constituency from 1992-2000, the Chief H.B. Braimah Education Fund is for all of us—for every child, every student, and every community in Salaga South. It aims to improve school infrastructure through the development and upgrade of schools in Salaga South; support needy students by providing learning materials, furniture, and financial assistance from basic to university levels; solicit scholarship opportunities for tertiary students locally and abroad; strengthen English and Arabic education; and foster academic excellence by establishing inter-school competitions, quizzes, debates, and Quran reciting contests, as well as best teacher and student awards to recognize dedications and achievements to motivate educators and students.

 

1. Our constituency, like much of northern Ghana, bears the scars of historical injustices—the slave trade that depleted our human resources, colonial policies that marginalized our development, and limited access to education. These factors contributed to the gap between the north and south. Despite post-independence efforts by governments like Nkrumah’s free northern education initiative and Rawlings’ establishment of the University of Development Studies, challenges persist. This is our collective endeavor as a people, and I request the full support of all our Chiefs and Traditional Authorities, community heads, and elders in Salaga South for this noble cause. Together, we can make a profound impact on education and development in our constituency. Education is a leveler, bridging poverty gaps and fostering socio-economic development. By investing in education, we empower individuals, strengthen communities, and contribute to national progress. Our efforts align with broader initiatives promoting religious tolerance and inclusive development. As we launch this fund, let us recommit to the pursuit of quality education for all. To ensure transparency and accountability, a board will be set up to oversee the activities of the Chief H.B. Braimah Education Fund. This board will work diligently to manage resources, prioritize needs, and report back to our community on the fund’s progress and impact. I invite all stakeholders—individuals, organizations, and development partners—to support this noble cause. Together, we can transform educational opportunities in Salaga South, honor the legacy of Chief H.B. Braimah, and build a brighter future for our children.

 

1. The upcoming launch of the Education, Youth, and Women Empowerment Funds will provide resources to uplift our communities, ensuring no one is left behind. These efforts build on our completed projects and align with our collective ambition to make Salaga South a model of rural development.

 

1. As your representative, I commit to channeling the energy of this Damba into actionable policies and projects. Together with the wise counsel of our chiefs and the vigor of our youth, we can transform Salaga South into a beacon of progress, where our rich culture and modern advancements walk hand in hand. The unity displayed in our festival can guide us in resolving local disputes amicably, strengthening community bonds, and attracting investment to uplift our rural economy.

 

1. In conclusion, let us carry the joy and lessons of this Damba forward. May it unite us, inspire us, and propel us toward a future of peace, inclusion, and prosperity. Together, we can build a prosperous Salaga South and contribute to Ghana’s growth. May Allah bless our endeavors and guide us towards peace, development, and prosperity. Thank you, and may the spirit of Damba inspire us all.

 

Long live Kpembewura Banbange Ndefeso IV! Long live the people of Kpembe! Long live Salaga South!