The Regent of the Chief Warrior of the Mamprugu Kingdom and Chief of Langbinsi, Kanbonaa Gbandaana Ahn-Zim Wusa Manga, has called for dialogue and collaboration to ensure peace in Bawku.
He also appealed to the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs to step in and ensure that neutral parties are brought together to find a lasting solution to the problem.
Speaking on the Ghana Tonight Show on TV3 Tuesday, February 21, he said “In my recommendation for now I want to look at the fact that we need collaboration, we need dialogue, we need a setup of eminent chiefs just like we did in Dagbon where the Nayiri who is a peace-loving person was a master hand in that resolution to get Dagbon to get peace.
“There is a need for some group of eminent people to come together and lead the charge for us to get peace in that region.
“Also, we need to make sure that all opinion leaders who matter, not people who have some selfish interest in that area, opinion leaders across the nation to come in. The Peace Council is there they can rise and lead the charge, the Ministry for Chieftaincy as well must rise up because it borders on chieftaincy issues and territorial powers. All these bodies when we decide to unite as a country to ‘fight’, I am sure we will go somewhere.”
Meanwhile, the Minister-Designate for Chieftaincy Stephen Asamoah Boateng said the situation in Bawku in the Upper East region is complex but can be resolved.
He told TV3 in an interview after his vetting by the Appointments Committee of Parliament on Monday, February 20 that “It is a very complex situation but it can be resolved.”
He further said the issues in Bawku have to do with maintaining law and order.
He has, therefore, charged authorities to ensure there is law and order.
He said “First of all, the current situation is maintaining law and order, that is government business, so state authorities must maintain law and order and bring peace.
“There is the underlying issue of chieftaincy and land matters and I said during my vetting that you need to jaw-jaw. Luckily for me, I know some of them, most of them personally. I was at the local government so I know Nayiri, I know the Bawku area very well.
“It calls for calm, we are a sovereign nation, we cannot fight among ourselves, it is a daunting task but I think I am up to it. I do consult a lot of people, I also pray to get direction and wisdom, that is what I need, I need a lot of wisdom from.”
Last week, the government condemned the enskinment of a new Bawku Naba at Nalerigu on Wednesday, February 15.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Information said Naa Asigri Azoka II is still the Bawku Naba.
The King of the Maprugu Traditional area Naa Bohugu Mahami I was reported to have enskinned Alhaji Seidu Abagre as the new chief for Bawku on Wednesday, February 15 at the Nayiri Palace in Nalerigu.
But the government in a statement condemned the act and directed the security to arrest anyone who holds himself as such.
“The Government condemns developments in Nalerigu today February 15, 2023, concerning the purported enskinment of a new Bawku Naba as illegal and a threat to National Security,” the government said.
“Government further reiterates that Naba Asigri Azoka I is the Bawku Naba, duly gazetted and a member of the National and Upper East Regional House of Chiefs.
“The security agencies have therefore been directed to arrest and prosecute any other person who holds himself as Bawku Nana,” it added.
By Laud Nartey|3news.com|Ghana
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