The chiefs and people of Lolobi last Thursday organised a grand durbar to celebrate the inaugural Homecoming Festival, aimed at raising funds for the supply of potable water to Lolobi-Kumasi in the Guan District of the Oti Region.

The initiative seeks to address the community’s dependence on rivers and streams, which have become inadequate and largely polluted due to the growing population. The festival was themed: “Providing Access to Potable Water in Lolobi Communities.”

According to preliminary estimates, the community requires about 20 mechanised boreholes to meet its immediate water needs.  

Speaking at the durbar, the Chairman of the Organising Committee, Bright Adabrah, explained the rationale behind the festival, stating: “We thought it wise to establish the Homecoming Festival to provide a platform to deliberate on the development of the area.”  

Mr Adabrah also appealed to the government to consider re-roofing the cocoa shed that was destroyed by a rainstorm four years ago. “Cocoa farmers are being forced to sell their produce to smugglers since the cocoa sheds are no longer functional,” he said.  

He highlighted other pressing issues, including the lack of a market space for traders to sell farm produce such as cassava, plantain, gari, rice, and vegetables. “Farmers are compelled to send their produce to markets outside our communities. This deprives the Guan District Assembly of internally generated funds for development projects,” he lamented. 

Additionally, Mr Adabrah expressed concern about the state of the community’s kindergarten, which was damaged in a recent rainstorm. He appealed to the Guan District Assembly for assistance to ensure repairs are completed before the next school term to prevent disruptions to academic activities.  

The Paramount Chief of the Lolobi Traditional Area, Bekorse Akoto Masakyi III, praised the youth for initiating the festival, describing it as a step towards improving the community’s welfare.  

“We need to make concerted efforts to secure social amenities for the area by ensuring funds are generated for development projects,” he said.  

Chief Masakyi noted that while the immediate target for the water project was GH¢60,000, the community aimed to raise GH¢100,000 by the end of 2025. He urged the people to embrace the challenge and contribute towards the initiative.