Provide Bimbilla security personnel with logistics - Got urged

Bimbilla (NR), Jan. 15, GNA - The Nanumba Youth Association (NYA) has called on the government to provide security personnel at Bimbilla with the necessary logistics to the to enable them to respond swiftly to conflict situations.

"The necessary interventions must be forth coming to ensure that the security personnel deployed in the area are well equipped to deal with any unforeseen circumstances".

Dr. Hafez Adam Taher, National President of the Association, made the call at a forum for peace building that the Association is participating as a stakeholder at Bimbilla on Sunday.

It was to offer the stakeholders with the opportunity to deliberate on factors and causes of conflict in the Nanumba North District with the view to help in addressing them amicably. Dr Taher called on Nanumbas and Konkombas to resort to dialogue to resolve their differences to promote peaceful co-existence and to enhance the maintenance of law and order in the area.

He urged them to abide by the recommendations of the Commission set up by the government to go into the issues that resulted in the 1994 conflict between the two ethnic groups to ensure lasting peace in the area.

Nanumbas and Konkombas have lived together since 1942, he said and wondered how the issue of land should be a source of conflict between them.

"Nanumbas are peace loving and development oriented people who will welcome all settlers who have the same vision as them," he stated. Dr Taher appealed to the youth in the District to remain calm and avoid rumours.

They should try to volunteer information to the security personnel to deal with detractors who would want to cause confusion for their selfish interest.

Mr Salifu Saeed, District Chief Executive (DCE), appealed to Nanumbas and Konkombas to desist from acts that would jeopardize the prevailing peace in the area.

He urged them to channel their resources and energy into the development of the District to enhance the living conditions of the people, warning that the government would not look on for some people to foment trouble and derail the development of the district. The DCE said the Nunumba North and Nanumba South District Assemblies were making preparations to organize a forum for the two ethnic groups to address their concerns to promote peaceful co-existence.

A GNA investigation into the recent insecurity situation in the District revealed that the first issue was the alleged poor trade relation between the farmers of Chamba, a Konkomba dominated community and the Nanumbas.

The farmers from Chamba allege that their trading partners had nicknamed their market "Jara-daa" literally meaning "Fools market" in the Nanumba language implying that Konkomba farmers sold their produce to Nanumbas at prices determined by the buyers, who also arbitrarily measure the commodities.

In a reaction, the Konkomba farmers at Chamba decided to measure their produce themselves instead of the buyers, which did not go down well with some of the Nanumba buyers who decided to boycott trading with the Konkomba farmers.

Traders from Nanumba were alleged to have prevented other traders outside the District from trading with the farmers at Chamba and the surrounding communities.

The investigation revealed that at a meeting at Chamba, the issue of measurement was discussed and it was agreed that the Konkomba farmers should measure their produce while prices were to be determined by the forces of supply and demand.

As a result some Nanumbas at Bimbilla decided that the Konkombas should now pay for the land they are farming on, which the Konkombas opposed saying it was not practiced in the Northern Region and could threaten peaceful co-existence among the different ethnic communities. There was also the issue of the enskinment of chiefs in Konkomba communities by Nanumbas.

Konkombas are not happy about the practice and had asked the Nanumba Traditional Council to allow them to select and enskin their own chiefs.

However, the Nanumbas maintain that since the Konkombas were settlers they did not have the right to chieftaincy titles in the area. The Konkombas said they were fighting for their rights in accordance with the Constitution of Ghana but not planning for war as alleged. 15 Jan 07