Don’t kill yourselves as a way to find solutions to address problems — Minister

Mr. Stephen Yakubu, the Upper West Regional Minister, has described as worrying and abnormal the actions of people who kill one another to address problems with their neighbors.

"There is no need to kill one another; the elders are there, the security agencies are there, and the law courts are there to help address disputes and misunderstandings amicably without the shedding of blood," he said.

He stated that it was always better for the people in the communities to work together to sustain peace and explore pragmatic ways and means to address conditions of poverty, which had over the years plagued them and hindered their overall well-being and development, rather than killing themselves at the least provocation.

Mr. Yakubu raised these concerns at separate meetings with the traditional rulers and the youth of Wechiau, Kandeu, and Lassia in the Wa West District to share his sympathies and listen to them following the killing of three young men at Lassia during a communal clash between the people of Kandeu and Lassia communities on June 15, 2024.

He said poverty should be considered the common and topmost enemy of the people and that it was only through peaceful co-existence and ensuring a conducive environment that they could work to overcome poverty and underdevelopment.

"Problems are always with us on a daily basis, but we need to continually sit and dialogue to find amicable solutions to them, rather than killing ourselves as a way of solving them," he said.

"You must know what conflict does to the people and what peace also does to the people. The difference between them is that conflict is a threat to human existence, while peace is the lifewire of human development and well-being," he added.

Mr. Yakubu pleaded with the traditional authorities, especially the chiefs and the landlords, to engage with stakeholders to work assiduously to resolve all issues pertaining to land and chieftaincy disputes in the area, as that had been a bone of contention that ignited the clashes between the two communities.

He advised the youth to be law-abiding and avoid associating the clashes with politics, as that could aggravate the situation and derail the peace processes "since this is an election year."

The Regional Minister warned that any agitator who would want to escalate the issues to achieve his or her selfish interest would not be spared by the security agencies on the ground.

He also assured the bereaved families that the perpetrators of the murder of the three persons would be made to face the full rigors of the law.

Naa Imoru Nandon Gomah, the Paramount Chief of the Wechiau Traditional Council, commended the security agencies for their professionalism that had returned peace to the district.

He assured Mr. Yakubu and the security agencies of the Council's unflinching support to ensure peace to enable the people to go about their farming activities and other businesses in the area.

The Wechiau Naa appealed to the Regional Police Command to release the dead bodies to the bereaved families on time for burial to help cool down tempers.

He requested an increase in the number of security personnel on the burial day of the deceased to take care of any unforeseen disturbances.