Address chieftaincy issues with decorum - Nyari

Tamale, Aug. 19, GNA - Mr. Bakari Sadiq Nyari, President of the Gonja Land Youth Association (GLYA), has advised the youth to address chieftaincy issues in the country with respect and decorum to avoid disputes.

He said most of the chieftaincy disputes in the country were as a result of the disrespectful manner in which some of the youth groups subjected the chieftaincy institutions to.

Mr. Nyari gave the advice in a media briefing to react to a statement issued by a group calling itself the "Buipe Development Youth Association", which castigated the skin of the Yagbonwura Tuntumba Bore Essa Sulemana Jakpa I, Overlord of Gonjaland, which was published in some sections of the media.

The group issued a release threatening to take arms against the Yagbonwura if he should ignore calls to reinstate the de-skinned Buipewura Jinapor II and nominates a different person to the Buipe skin.

Mr. Nyari said the release of the Buipe youth was creating tension among some people in Gonjaland to the extent that the GLYA was being bombarded with telephone calls from its loyal members from all over the country.

He said there was nothing in Gonjaland like "Buipe Development Youth Association", saying "It is worth noting from the onset that the GLYA is a legally registered entity under the laws of Ghana embracing all youth associations in Gonjaland."

"We would also like to state unequivocally that the 'Buipe Development Youth Association' does not exist in our books as a member association", he stressed, and that the statement was not reflecting the views of the GLYA as it was being interpreted in some quarters.

Mr. Nyari said the GLYA was solidly standing behind the leadership of the Overlord of Yagbon and the Gonja Traditional Council in the management of affairs in Gonjaland.

He said the GLYA was particularly pleased with the spirit of consultation and collective action that the Overlord and the Traditional Council had demonstrated so far in seeking lasting peace for the area.

He advised all Gonjas to be guided by the fact that peace and unity were important requisites for development and should always choose dialogue in resolving issues.

Mr. Nyari also called on those who were aggrieved by the actions and inactions of the Gonja Traditional Council to employ more reconciliatory and less confrontational approaches to address their grievances to ensure peace and unity in Gonjaland.