By Anthony Adongo Apubeo
Bolgatanga, Dec 10, GNA – Increasing chieftaincy and land disputes and other communal conflicts across the Upper East Region have not only threatened the peace and stability of the region butalso disrupted socioeconomic development.
“The Upper East Region has not been left out in the number of conflicts spread across the country, particularly chieftaincy and land related conflicts,” Reverend Dr Ernest Edu-Gyamfi, Chairman, National Peace Council said.
“Violent conflicts often disrupts human capital, physical infrastructure, and economic activities.
“Funds earmarked for development projects have often been diverted to provide for security needs in some hotspots in the country, therefore, putting constraints on the ability of government and the community to provide essential public facilities such as good drinking water, electricity, schools and hospitals among others”.
This was in a speech read on his behalf by Mrs Magdalene Kannae, Member of the Board, at the inauguration of a 13-member Upper East Regional Peace Council in Bolgatanga.
Over the years, the region had recorded various conflicts including Bawku and Bolgatanga Chieftaincy disputes, Doba-Kandiga land dispute among others leading to loss of lives and destruction of property.
The Regional Peace Council has therefore been tasked to work with stakeholders and offer advice to the security agencies to control and resolve conflicts and as well as engage in public education to prevent violence and spillover of the activities of terrorists.
He asked members of the Council to work to resolve all outstanding conflicts in the region to promote sustainable growth and development.
Dr Edu-Gyamfi explained that although the country generally had experienced stable democracy and was considered a beacon in Africa, Ghana’s socio-political systems seemed not to be appropriately addressing emerging conflicts.
“The youth are becoming increasingly agitated as result of limited opportunities while impunity and disregard for law and order is eating deep into the very fabric of our society.
“The threat of extremists tendencies is also grooming large over the West Africa Sub-region,” adding that the role of the Peace Council in ensuring peace, stability and development was critical and urged them to remain neutral, dedicated and committed to deliver on their mandate.
While thanking the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Ghana for its support to the National Peace Council over the years, he urged the government and the business community to collaborate with the Peace Council in its quest to build a peaceful environment to promote growth and development.
In a speech read on his behalf, Mr Stephen Yakubu, Upper East Regional Minister, said the communal conflicts in the region, particularly Bawku and Doba-Kandiga were worrisome and retarding development efforts and appealed to the feuding factions to give peace a chance.
The Regional Minister urged the Regional Peace Council to work with stakeholders to clamp down on illicit arms and drug abuse, noting that “statistics from the National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons indicates that over 1.1 million illicit arms in circulation, majority of which find their way into our community”.
Members of the Regional Peace Council are Reverend Fr Msgr Camillo Sako, Catholic Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga, Ms Priscilla Nyaaba, Youth Harvest Foundation Ghana, Mr Christopher Anabila Azaare, African Traditional Religion and Alhaji Sumaila Issaka, Tijaniyyah Sect.
The others are Mr Abu-Bakr Sadiq Abdul-Rahman, Ahlussunna Wal Jama’s, Reverend Eric Adjei Nmai, National Association of Charismatic and Christian Churches, Reverend Dominic Ziba, Ghana Pentecostal and Charismatic Council and Mr Alfred Abugre Ndago, Upper East Regional Coordinating Council.
The rest are Pe Ditundini Adiali Ayagitam III, Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, Madam Victoria Azeyili Adimazoya, Madam Florence Lardi, Manamzor, Bolgatanga Technical University and Reverend Thomas Abukari, Christian Council of Ghana.
GNA