Mahama donates pickup truck to youth association at Dɛng festival in Ghana
Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama donated a new Zonda pickup truck to the Vagla Youth Association (VAYA) during the Dɛng festival in the community of Sonyor in the Savannah Region. As MyJoyOnline reports, the vehicle was presented on behalf of the president on May 16, 2026, by the Member of Parliament for Bole-Bamboi and Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Yusif Sulemana.
According to Sulemana, Mahama also allocated 20,000 Ghanaian cedis for the 2026 festival. The official said the government is working to resolve telecommunications connectivity issues in the area. According to him, the network was recently restored, but technical adjustments are still needed to improve internet access. He added that a technical team has already visited the community to assess the situation.
Infrastructure statements
Sulemana said that the Bole—Sonyor—Gurbol (Gurpe) road project remains a government priority and that work is expected to begin soon. He also acknowledged inadequate water supply in the community and said that authorities plan to implement a major water supply project.
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According to the MP, the festival, which had previously focused mainly on dancing and singing, now includes a formal gathering of traditional leaders, politicians and community figures. In his assessment, this format gives officials an opportunity to report on their work and local residents an opportunity to express their needs concerning community development.
Dɛng traditions
Dɛng is an annual five-day Vagla festival held in late April or mid-May, depending on the ritual observation of the seasonal crescent moon. The programme includes the Zingɔ dance, a ritual rabbit hunt, the preparation of Vug Kabila — fufu offered to a deity — and the Vughin shaving rite, after which seasonal restrictions are lifted for him.
Sonyor is located east of Chorbanga in the Bole District. Families and representatives of Vagla communities from the Savannah Region and other localities arrive for the festival. For the fourth consecutive year, local residents, with VAYA's support, have also used the event to discuss economic development and peaceful coexistence among the Vagla, Chora, Nomee and Safalba communities.
