Factions in Dagbon Chieftaincy crises asked to embrace dialogue

Accra, Jan. 12, GNA- The Andani and Abudu factions in the protracted chieftaincy conflict in the Dagbon Traditional Area, have been called upon to resolve their differences through dialogue and a sense of belonging.

"Peace is a necessary commodity to ensure progress in Dagbon and it must come from the people themselves, Alhaji Basit Fuseini, a leading member of the ruling New Patriotic Party, told the Ghana News Agency in an interview in Accra."

Alhaji Fuseini said the dispute had greatly affected the socio-economic fortunes of the area, and cited a particular senior secondary school in Tamale, were standards of education had fallen drastically.

"In this particular school, the first 50 students enrolled for the 2004-2005 academic year were outside the Northern Region. "This is a serious indictment on all the factions to the conflict," he said.

Alhaji Fuseini asked people with relevant information on the murderers of Yana Yakubu Andani II, Paramount Chief of the Traditional Area, to help the security agencies with their investigations. He said mere suspicions and conjectures would not bring the much awaited justice needed to promote peace and reconciliation in the conflict-prone Area.

"People should come out and give meaningful leads, to facilitate the arrest of the conspirators and their collaborators." Alhaji Fuseini debunked claims by some interest groups in the dispute that government was doing very little to find lasting solution to the problem.

He referred to the Committee of the three eminent chiefs comprising the Asantehene, the Nayiri and the Yagbonwura, the setting up of the Wuaku Commission and the broad consultation between government and the chiefs and opinion leaders in Dagbon, as some practical efforts by the Executive.

Alhaji Fuseini expressed the hope that a befitting burial of the Yana would accelerate the peace process.

Touching on the performance of the ruling NPP in Election 2004 in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West regions, Alhaji Fuseini said the few parliamentary seats captured by the party was due to poor party structures.

He said there was lack of broad consultation amongst the people before some candidates were picked for the General Election, while self interests was also rife among some members of the party.

Mr Bomison Seidu Amadu, a founding member of the NPP in the Upper West Region who spoke to the GNA also blamed the poor showing of the party to very weak political structures on the ground.