Akufo-Addo calls for peace in Dagbon

President-elect of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, has stated categorically that his interest is for the people of Dagbon in the Northern Region to leave in peace and unity.

According to him, the time has come for Dagbon to bury the past and look towards the future as one united people, stressing “you can count on us.”

The president-elect reiterated his commitment towards fulfilling the promises he made to the chiefs and people of Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions, assuring that was not a campaign or a platform talk.

Akufo-Addo gave this assurance when delegations from the Mamprugu and Dagbon Traditional Councils paid courtesy calls on him at his Nima residence in Accra yesterday.

The visit by Mamprugu and Dagbon Traditional Councils was aimed at assuring Akufo-Addo of their continued support and prayers for the success of his government, which takes off from January 7, 2017.

Nana Akufo-Addo on his part thanked the delegations from Dagbon and Mamprugu Traditional Councils for “your messages of congratulation and cooperation.”

He added that “I am truly honoured by these gestures.”

According to him, Dagbon is one of the important kingdoms in the country and will do all that he can to bring lasting peace to the area.

Chief Tara Naa, who was the head of the delegation from the Mamprugu Traditional Council, conveyed messages of congratulation and cooperation to the President-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, from the Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional area, the Nayiri, Naabohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga.

Tara Naa, on behalf of the Nayiri and the people of Mamprugu, also thanked Nana Akufo-Addo for remaining consistent and keeping faith with “our son,” Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice-President-elect of the Republic.

For his part, Sagnari Naa, Abdulai Yakubu, who spoke on behalf of the delegation from Dagbon, explained that the purpose of the call was to congratulate the president-elect, Vice-President-elect, and the NPP on their victory on December 7, polls.

"You can count on us, and be rest assured that we will support you and your government to succeed, and thereby help improve the living standards of our people," Sagnari Na assured the president-elect.

Sagnari Naa, Abdulai Yakubu, also conveyed a message from the Regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya-Naa Abdulai Andani, to Akufo-Addo and NPP.

“Kampakuya-Naa extends his warmest congratulations to you on your victory. He followed your campaign closely and is impatiently waiting for you to assume the seat of government so you can start implementing your pledges to Ghanaians. He believes these are policies, which when implemented, will bring prosperity to his people,” he said.

To the delegation from the Mamprugu Traditional Council, Akufo-Addo told them that he will rely on Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to help him build a prosperous Ghanaian economy.

In response to the congratulatory message from the Kampakuya Naa, Mr. Akufo-Addo told the Sagnari Naa that “I want to have the same relationship I had with the late Ya Na Yakubu Andani with his son, the Kampakuya Naa.

“…I have stated it, and I want to repeat it. I have no interest in chieftaincy matters in Dagbon. I want all of you to help me build a progressive and prosperous Ghana. That is my only interest,” he stressed.