The Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abubakari Mahama II has reminded the two feuding ethnic groups at Chereponi in the North East Region, Chakosis and Konkombas, the need to smoke the peace pipe and allow peaceful co-existence amongst themselves.

The Ya-Na underscored the need for both ethnic groups to smoke the peace pipe in their best interest and to pave way for development in the area.

Tribal conflict in the area has been persistent about three and four months now over a farm land resulting several loss of lives and properties worth about millions of Ghana cedis being destroyed.

Efforts by state security agencies and other authorities including the intervention of the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to end the ethnic conflict between the Chakosis and Konkombas has proven futile.

The Ya-Na in a press release signed by the secretary to the King, Abdul-Rahman Mohamed and copied www.TamaleOnline.Net urged the two factions of need to smoke the peace pipe and begin to see each other as one of their own other than a foe.

“As the leader of Dagbon Traditional Council, under whose enclave these two paramount chiefs operate, the Ya-Na reminded the chiefs and the District Chief Executives of the need for peace to prevail among membersof the two ethnic groups, adding that they are brothers and cannot afford to fight each other especially at the time the whole world is patting the people of the north for embracing and prioritizing peace above everything. He told them that Eastern Dagbon had been in the media as inter-tribalconflict area, but that belongs to the past, he added. With his rise to the Dagbon throne, he declared the north an island of peace.” the statement noted.

Read copy of the statement below;

PRESS RELEASE: Today 23rd May, 2019

YA-NA ABUKARI II CALLS FOR CALM AND PEACEFUL CO- EXISTENCE BETWEEN CHAKOSIS & KONKOMBAS

His Majesty the Overlord of Dagbon Kingdom, Ya Na Abukari MahamaII, has called on the Chakosis and the Konkombas to immediately end the renewed tribal conflict and to smoke the peace pipe for peaceful coexistence among the various tribes in the area. He warned that tribal conflicts will only bring misery to us since there has never been absolute winner or victor in such conflicts, adding that the people of the area should think about the aged, women, children as well as property.

On the 21st of March, 2019 the king occasioned a closed door meeting with the traditional and political leadership of the two tribes at the GbewaaPlace, in Yendi. This was the first time the king met with the two factions in order to broker peace between them, since the beginning of the unpassed. The konkombas were represented by their paramount chief, Na Uchabobor Bowan John Masteer Sakojim IV and the District Chief Executive of Saboba whiles the Chekosis were presented by their paramount chief, Pastor Ndakar Jaminja and the District Chief Executives of Chereponi.

As the leader of Dagbon Traditional Council, under whose enclave these two paramount chiefs operate, the Ya-Na reminded the chiefs and the District Chief Executives of the need for peace to prevail among membersof the two ethnic groups, adding that they are brothers and cannot afford to fight each other especially at the time the whole world is patting the people of the north for embracing and prioritizing peace above everything. He told them that Eastern Dagbon had been in the media as inter-tribalconflict area, but that belongs to the past, he added. With his rise to the Dagbon throne, he declared the north an island of peace.

He therefore reminded the two factions of need to smoke the peace pipe and begin to see each other as one of their own other than a foe.

He bemoaned the fact that the area is already among the least developed in the country, and reminded the District Chief Executives to help eschew tribal and political sentiments and plead with the factions to give peace a chance, in order to attract investors as well as Governmental projects to the areas. Without peace, he told them, there can be no development and better future for the young ones. He reminded the group that education is the key to development of every community today, so they should cooperate with the hardworking security personnel who have sacrificed their leisure to protect life and property to bring about permanent peace in the area.

The current development, according to the King, is unfortunate and most disturbing. He therefore called on all well-meaning Ghanaians to see the conflict as unfortunate, and needs be stopped without further delays.

Whiles assuring the feuding factions of the support of Dagbon Traditional Area in these trying times, he appealed to all sons and daughters of both sides to exercise restrain so as calm down tensions in the area. He equallyextended a hand to any conflict resolution experts in the Country and beyond to assist the people in the area to nib the violence in the bud, once and for all.

Finally, the King thanked, the Yendi Divisional Command as well as theNorthern Regional Security Council for their efforts so far towards finding a lasting peace for people of area, and called on the President of the Republic to create additional security posts in the area to avert any future eventualities.