Attack on Builsa DCE ruins Feok Festival

Sandema (U/E), Dec 18, GNA- The durbar to climax the Feok Festival of the chiefs and people of Builsa Traditional Area ended abruptly on Thursday when a mob of war dancers assaulted the District Chief Executive (DCE), Rev James Agalick, on the festival grounds at Sandema.

The first wave of attack was launched at about 1300 hours by a group of dancers who began raining insults on the DCE at the grounds for not providing a public address system for the function.

Security men stopped the dancers and sent them out of the durbar grounds.

Shortly afterwards a second attack came when the war dancers suddenly pounced on the DCE in the presence of the Minister of State in charge of Tertiary Education, Ms Elizabeth Ohene, the Regional Minister, Mr Mahami Salifu, and other dignitaries.

The attackers put a heavy cudgel around the DCE's neck and dragged him from his seat on to the ground.

But for the intervention of some security personnel the situation could have been more serious. The few policemen around rescued Rev Agalick, put on an ambulance vehicle and whisked him to the Sandema Hospital.

When newsmen followed up to the hospital the DCE was in the X-ray room and could not be spoken to. No arrest has so far been made.

When contacted by the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga to ascertain why there was no public address system at the festival grounds, an official at the Regional office of the Information Services Department (ISD) said organisers of the festival approached the office for the system last week and were asked to pay 300,000 cedis.

"They said they would come back later but they never returned," said the official.