Tamale, May 30, GNA – The Nanumba Youth Association (NAYA) and the Dagbang Forum have expressed concerns over developments regarding a boundary dispute between Jagbuni and Mion, which has threatened to undermine the unity between Dagbon and Nanung Kingdoms.
This was contained in a joint statement issued by the two groups and signed by Dr Sulemana Abdulai, President of Dagbang Forum, and Dr Hafez Adam Taher, President of NAYA, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Tamale on Saturday.
The statement said “The NAYA and the Dagbang Forum have noted with deep concern the recent developments of a boundary dispute between Jagbuni and Mion, which threatens to undermine and destroy the brotherly cohesion and unity that exist between the sister Kingdoms of Dagbang and Nanung.”
It said “While we consider the misunderstanding arising out of the apparent land dispute between the Nanung and Dagbang Traditional Authorities’ very unfortunate, we find it even more repugnant the audio recordings that are circulating within social media space. We wish to register our total disgust and resentment towards the perpetrators of these actions.”
About a fortnight ago, a meeting between traditional authorities from Mion and Jagbuni was called at the Ya-Na’s palace at Yendi to discuss the boundary dispute, and after the meeting, an audio recording emerged on social media purporting to be the views expressed by one of the Chiefs during the meeting.
However, the said Chief denied the contents of the audio recording saying it misrepresented what he said at the meeting.
The emergence of the audio recording coupled with the boundary dispute seemed to be threatening to undermine and destroy the brotherly cohesion and unity that exist between the sister Kingdoms of Dagbang and Nanung.
The statement appealed to the revered Traditional Authorities of both Kingdoms and other well-meaning stakeholders to “As a matter of necessity, convene to resolve the emerging challenges that have the potential to threaten our survival and existence as a people belonging to the Naa Gbewaa Family.”
It called on the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and the Northern Regional Peace Council to play a facilitating role to address the unfortunate emerging tensions between the two Kingdoms, saying “No two ethnic groups within the Gbewaa Families are more closely knit and linked than the Nanumbas and Dagombas.”
The statement said “The subject matter in question cannot and should not be a cause for the disintegration of a time tested brotherly traditional bond between Nanung and Dagbang.”
It called on the youth of the two Kingdoms to refrain from making utterances that are derogatory, insulting, provocative, disrespectful, or had the potential to inflame passions and cause division between them.
It said “We also call on the youth of both Kingdoms to avoid beating war drums, engaging in personal insults and throwing challenges to provoke each other, whilst we team up with our Traditional Councils to restore our traditional and historical relations and address the issues at hand.”
It said “We are available and willing to lend our support to the REGSEC to resolve the matter amicably and in an unbiased manner and to plead with the two Traditional Councils, to as a matter of urgency, bring their wise counsel to bear on the steps and measures being taken by REGSEC to solve this matter.”
The statement appealed to all well-meaning Dagombas and Nanumbas to expose the few misguided elements whose conduct was likely to sow seeds of discord between the two Kingdoms.
GNA