Bishop calls on Kingmakers to sustain peace in Dagbon

The Yendi Peace centre has organised a consultative meeting for Dagbon Royals on sustaining the peace in Dagbon after the enskinment of Ya-na Abukari Mahama II.

The Royals included; Kpuali Bomahina Issahaku Abdulai, Bin Dana Ayuba Ziblim, Yelzoli Tamal Na Alhaji Shamrock Mahama, Mion Sabna Alhaji Hassan Yusif, Kpusli Naazo Mohammed Abdulia, Mion Timal Na Mumuni Alhassan, Yelzol Tuzhenaa Sulemana Alidu among others.

In his keynote address, Catholic Bishop Vincent Sowah Boi- Nai of the Yendi Diocese called on the King Makers and Royals to help all peace makers to sustain the peace they are enjoying after the eskinment of Ya-Naa Abukari Mahama II.

Bishop Boi- Nai said although the chieftaincy institutions especially in the Northern Region had maintained its relevance in almost every facet of social life, its greatest challenge was succession conflicts.

He reminded them that promotion and sustaining of peace was shared responsibility of everybody particularly Royals, King makers, women groups, youth, the Government, Media, Security among others, for development to prevail.

He said it was important for all of them to be watchful for warning signals to ensure that misunderstandings that could disturb the peace in Dagbon was prevented.

Bishop Boi-Nai said the continuous stay of Regents in office heightened tensions and perpetuated divisions especially when the skins were in dispute.

He appealed to them to find a well defined duration and limitation of the powers of Regents which needed a thorough discussion for enforcement since they now have Ya- Na.

He said the National Peace Council had appealed to the Minister for Chieftaincy Affairs to put in place succession laws with proper documentation.

He said the enskinment of a Ya –Na through soothsaying or by committee members should be looked into to sustain peace in Dagbon and northern region as a whole.

In his welcome address, the Secretary of the Yendi Peace Centre Mr Peter Atia said since 1994 they organised 250 workshops, seminars, meetings all geared towards peace in Dagbon and Northern Region as a whole.

He said they organised a meeting for the King Makers and hoped to meet the youth on June 23, 2019 in Yendi.

Father Joseph Sukpei, Director of Yendi Peace Centre appealed to the Royals and King Makers to help the Centre in its efforts in sustaining peace in the area.

He said if the peace was sustained, there would be development in education, health, and agriculture.

During questions and suggestions, they explained that the unfortunate issue that occurred in 2002 in Dagbon delayed the funerals of Dagbon chiefs and called on the Ya-Na to request Regents to perform the funerals of their late fathers without delay.

They suggested that only funerals of Ya-Nas should last for a year, while those of Regents should be performed within six months.