Chiefs in the three Northern Regions strategise to ensure peaceful elections

Traditional leaders in the three Northern Regions have met to strategies on how to effectively play their role to ensure peace before, during and after the December 7 elections.

To this end the Chiefs, joined by religious leaders and youth groups from the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions, participated in a day’s forum which was organized in Yendi by Global Youth Network (GYN).

Speaking at the forum, the Catholic Bishop of Yendi, The Most Reverend Vincent Sowah Boi-Nai, said Ghana deserved to have peace hence the need for all and sundry to effectively play their role to promote peace.

Various youth groups and political parties took turns to present solidarity messages as a sign of commitment towards peace building.

Sharing some negative effects of violence, the Bishop said societies in the state of chaos were often thrown into despair while people no more cared about each.

He urged the chiefs to educate people in their communities about the various electoral regulations and draw their attention to the fact that unity and peace were the only tools to facilitate development.

Mr Jawol Bisunna Titus, Director of GYN said some politicians continued to mislead the youth in the region through the use of insults, tribalism and war mongering campaign strategies to score cheap political points.

“It is time we realize that these divisions among ourselves as people continue to cause harm and retrogression in our development as a region.

“Politicians should concentrate on how to promote agriculture and build industries to reduce poverty which is our common enemy,” he said.

Mr Titus called on traditional leaders of the various ethnic groups in the three regions to review their objectives to match the current needs of their communities, especially in the areas of conflict resolution, women empowerment and alternative livelihood projects to help improve their livelihoods.

Nayire Naa Bohugu Mahami Abdulai, President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, said the council had finalized a code of conduct for chiefs as part of their efforts towards ensuring peace in the area.

He called on the public, especially the youth, to desist from violent activities such as fighting and snatching of ballot boxes and resort to dialogue in the event of any misunderstanding.

The Nayire Naa Abdulai advised the chiefs to campaign for peace in the forthcoming elections.