Gonja Youth Association to resolve Dagbon crisis
From Edmond Gyebi, Tamale
Out-gone National President Alhaji Bakari Sadiq Nyari (left), handing over office to Dr. Edward Adam Haruna
A Former National President of the Gonjaland Youth Association (GYA), Alhaji Bakari Sadiq Nyari, has told a gathering in Tamale that the association had started discussions with the two gates in the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute, with the view to resolving the issue amicably.
According to Alhaji Nyari, the national executives of the GYA had done some relevant assessments and realised that the Dagbon crisis was not beyond solution, and that talks had already started with the two combatants – the Abudu and the Andani royal families – to resolve the dispute once and for all.
Speaking at a ceremony at the Pioneer Guest Lodge in Tamale to hand over office to Dr. Edward Adam Haruna as the new President of the association, the out-gone President emphasised that the level of cooperation, understanding and responses received from those leaders after the talks, clearly attested to the fact that the people of Dagbon were ready to embrace peace and unity.
He assured Ghanaians that both the past and the new executives of the Gonjaland Youth Association, which comprises of some revered traditional leaders and people of high repute, would collectively come out with a “master plan” that would lead to the restoration of peace in Dagbon.
The Dagbon Traditional area has been in turmoil since 2002, after the late King of the area, Ya-Na Yakubuthe inability of governments to find a lasting solution to the crisis has become a great source of worry to the other ethnic groups in the Northern Region.
They are not only ashamed by the dispute, but by the level of disunity, hatred, insecurity, and most especially, how it had completely affected the socio-economic development of the region.
The Dagbon Chieftaincy crisis has gone through different levels of redress, including the Wuaku Commission, Otumfuo Osei Tutu’s Committee of Eminent Chiefs, and the Accra Fast Track High Court, and even currently at the Appeals Court, but all to no avail.
That notwithstanding, Alhaji Nyari and his team of executives strongly believe that with their new “intellectual” approach, and cooperation from the affected people (Dagombas), the Dagbon matter could come to rest.
The new National President of the Association, Dr. Edward Adam Haruna, in his acceptance speech, assured all Gonjas in and outside Ghana of his administration’s preparedness to solidly unite the people for the common purpose of attracting the needed development.
He commended the out-gone executives for their stewardship, and pledged to build upon their good foundation.
Dr. Haruna, who also consented to the move by the out-gone President to help resolve the Dagbon crisis, expressed the need for all the tribes in the Northern Region, and Ghana as a whole, to come together to make Ghana a better place to live or do business.
He called on the government to tackle the poor road networks in the Gonja area, and the Northern Region at large, and also provide the requisite infrastructure and economic development.
The District Chief Executive (DCE) for Central Gonja, Sualisu Be-Awuribe, took the opportunity to inform the executives about the numerous infrastructural projects of the government under the ‘Better Ghana’ agenda.
He noted that the President, John Evans Atta Mills, would by June this year, cut the sod for the construction of the Fufulso-Damango-Sawla-Wa road, and those at the Eastern Corridor, including the Tamale-Salaga-Makango, Yendi-Bimbilla-Wulensi road, and many others to boost economic activities.
The DCE also hinted that the Savannah Cement Company (SAVACEM) had started production in commercial quantity, while a cotton processing factory was also under construction at Buipe by the government.
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