Bongo District In Focus—Part 1

Hon. Albert Abongo, NDC MP For Bongo Constituency

The Bongo District is one of the oldest Districts in the Upper East region of Ghana. It is located in the tip of the North Pole of Ghana sharing borders with Burkina Faso to the North, Bolgatanga to the South, Nabdam to the East and Kasina Nankana West to the West.

According to the 2010 population and housing census, Bongo District has a total population of eighty-four thousand five-hundred and forty-five (84, 545) with 40, 084 and 44, 461 for male and female population respectively.

The dominant population is the energetic youth ranging 10-40 years. The District in one of the most PEACEFUL and Hospitable districts in the country.

Bongo District has a general landscape composed of rocks and gravel. There is rocky hill which serve as tourist attraction to both indigenes and outsiders. Some areas are generally flat with occasional outcrops of rocks at an altitude of 200m.

The landscape has little vegetation and borders on the Sudan Savannah Zone although technically, in the Guinea Savannah Zone. The general topography is undulating with some elevation rising above sea level. The District has relatively average water table due to the undulating and rocky nature of the land. This makes it permissible for the drilling of boreholes and construction of dug-outs

The District experiences the tropical continental climatic conditions, with a variation in temperature levels. The mean monthly temperature is between 21⁰C and 40⁰C, with the lowest temperature of 12⁰C around December when the cold weather is always severe. Bongo District experiences the annual continental air mass (the North East Trade Winds) popularly called the Harmattan.

This occurs during the period of November to April. There is a single rainy season from April to September. There is an average of 70 rain days a year.

The average rainfall is between 600mm and 1,400mm. The peak period is usually in August when more than 50% of the total rainfall occurs. During the dry season the vegetation whither, the livestock loses weight and 70% of local households send at least one person to the south to look for work.

Bongo District is found within the guinea savannah belt in northern Ghana and therefore exhibits typical savannah characteristics. The common tree species are mainly baobab, dawadawa tree, shea tree, ebony, none-tree, blackberry tree and shrubs. The grasses components include spear grass, elephant grass, guinea grass, giant grass, and broom grass.

The nature of the vegetation influenced by the desiccating harmattan winds increases the susceptibility of the vegetation to bush fires. The soil composition is highly influenced by the granite rock formations and is composed of gravel and rock particles with some few areas silt and clay. The soil composition is shallow, porous and rich in phosphorus which is good for the cultivation of millet, sorghum, groundnuts, beans, cowpea, rice and vegetables. However, the soil has been damaged by intensive use, losing much of its fertility and water holding capacity.

The traditional system of governance is well structured and hierarchical with the chief (BONABA) as the highest authority. The hierarchy starts from the chief (BONABA), to the sub-chiefs, to the compound heads, to the clan or family heads, the opinion or group leaders and down to the ordinary people. The Naba performs the following functions.

The structure shows clearly the line and level of authority, channel of communication and exercise of duty. This avoids conflict within the authority structure and enhances easy decision making especially during dispute settlement.

The Naba performs the following functions: He unites the people; settles disputes within his jurisdiction; and He and his elders make decisions and policies. The Paramount Chief (BONABA) and his sub-chiefs together with the District Assembly have worked peacefully over the years to maintain peace in the District.

The various institutions and social groups that exist in the District include chieftaincy, religious bodies, schools and health facilities. There are also NGOs operating in the District. These institutions co-exist peacefully and collaborate effectively in performing their various functions to bring development to the area

The common crop species available in Bongo District are millet, sorghum, rice, groundnuts, beans, sweet potatoes, and cowpea. The vegetable species include ma'ana (okro), nazu'usi (pepper), garden eggs, tomatoes, local 'kenaff' and 'amarantus'. The common animals domesticated in the District include cattle, sheep, goat, pigs, and donkey. Poultry or birds are fowls, guinea fowl, and ducks.

The farmers are practicing mixed farming and mixed cropping as methods of production. Farming is mainly done during the rainy season and carried out on subsistence basis. Farmers on the District rely heavily on the primitive methods of farming. The slash and burn method is commonly practice with the use of tools like hoe and cutlass.

The District members rely solely on manual labour (man-power). Some families use donkeys and bullocks for ploughing (oxen). Animals are mainly kept under the extensive system of farming, that is, free range system.

The land in Bongo District is owned on individual, family and communal interest. The Tindana is regarded as the land priest in the area. Non-indigenes who need land for farming purposes usually consult the chief and Tindana for lease rights. Families and individuals with abundant land also rent it out to farmers. Sale of land is not common. Acquisition of land is mainly by inheritance or lease.

Farmers in Bongo District have no access to formal financial institutions and credit facilities like banks except the Bongo Rural Bank. Their main source of financing their activities is personal savings, borrowing from friends or family members, sale of farm produce or other assets like animals. The District has feeder roads linking communities and market centres.

However, there is little access to vehicles and thus farmers mostly use donkey carts to convey their produce to neighbouring market centres. Farm produces are mainly cereals and are usually dried before storage. They store their produce on bans, sacks, silos and pots. Grains meant for sowing in the next season are usually mixed with ash to prevent insects and weevil attacks.

The citizens of District sell their surplus produce and animals in markets like Bongo, Soe, Zoko, Akayonga(Beo) and Bolga markets as well as Yelwungo in Burkina Faso. ..............

Part 2 will look at the problems and potential of the District

By
Ibrahim Abu Azabre
Citizen - Bongo District
[email protected]
0240393109/0261829999