Kandiga Traditional Council distances itself from death of Doba native

The Kandiga Traditional Council in the Kassena-Nankana West District has stated that a recent attack on a native of Doba along the Kandiga- Sirigu road on 8th May, 2021, by some faceless individuals which led to his death is an incident it knows absolutely nothing about and condemns in no uncertain terms.

The Council said the attack on the man was unfortunate and regrettable, and has the tendency of marring the peace building process which is aimed at returning a harmonious relationship to the two feuding communities.

The Council stated that it did not support the attack and will give the security agencies all the assistance to bring the perpetrators to book.

The Council indicated that it has on many occasions during the height of the conflict arrested natives of Doba in Kandiga under very strange circumstances but the individuals were not attacked or harmed, adding that they were always handed to the security agencies for the due processes to take course.

The Council said it handed over such individuals to the appropriate authorities to demonstrate the thirst of the Kandiga Chief and his people for peace and development in the conflict zones.

It said the attack on the man and his subsequent therefore came as a surprise to the Kandiga Traditional Council.

A Press Statement read on behalf of the Chief Naba Henry Abawine Amenga-Etego II, by Mathew Akakuzia, the Chairman of the Kandiga Area Council, stated that the Chief and people of Kandiga cherish peace and tranquility and would not do anything to deprive the two areas of such priceless commodities.

The Council therefore called on the Ghana Armed Forces and the Ghana Police Service to increase their presence in the feuding areas to bring an end to the conflict which has claimed lives with several properties destroyed.

It gave a strong caution to people in the two feuding communities whose interests are to continually stir up the conflict to desist from such acts for peace to prevail.

The Council extended its gratitude to the Navro-Pio, Mirigu Naba and Sirigu Naba for their roles in the peace building process.

It called on the Paramount Chiefs not to resign hope but continue to put their heads together and work unceasingly with the Regional, Municipal and District Security setups to bring peace back to the affected communities.

See the Press Statement Below.

KANDIGA TRADITIONAL COUNCIL

KANDIGA CHIEF’S PALACE

Tel: +233242215988/+233245283689

P. O. Box 202, Bolgatanga.

Upper East Region

Email: Naabaabawinne@gmail.com

Our Ref:

Your Ref:

11th May, 2021

PRESS STATEMENT BY THE KANDIGA TRADITIONAL/AREA COUNCIL ON THE RECENT MURDER OF A MAN AT AZAASI IN KANDIGA.

Following the recent attack of a man at Azaasi in Kandiga along the Kandiga-Sirigu road on Saturday, 8th May, 2021 by unknown people that subsequently led to the death of the said man who was later identified as a native of Doba, the Chief and elders as well as the Kandiga Area Council under the auspices of the Assembly Members of the entire community regret the unfortunate incident and wish to condemn in no uncertain terms the act perpetrated by those faceless elements.

We wish to categorically state that this isolated incident should not be associated with the Kandiga-Doba conflict as we are working relentlessly within our capacity to ensure that calm returns to the feuding areas to enable the two neighbouring communities co-exist peacefully as one people with a common destiny.

At this material moment, it is prudent to make references to one of several incidents late last year where three natives of Doba were seen in Kandiga during the height of the conflict under very strange circumstances but were not attacked or harmed. Instead, they were duly handed over to the Chief and his elders, who, together with the Assembly Members and Opinion Leaders of Kandiga, in turn peacefully handed over the three individuals to the Security Services and the Regional Peace Council for due process to take its course. Indeed, this was done to demonstrate our thirst for peace and strict intolerance for violence.

Apart from the instance cited above, we have regularly convened meetings with the youth of Kandiga to preach peace and call for calm, emphasizing the adverse effects of the conflict on the two communities, and bearing in mind the cordial relationship that existed between Kandiga and Doba in the past.

To this effect, we wish to sound a strong caution to those faceless and heartless individuals from both Kandiga and Doba who cultivate special interests in the ongoing conflict just to satisfy their own parochial agenda by taking advantage of the vulnerable and good people of the two feuding communities to completely desist from such barbaric acts for the sake of peace and development in the affected communities.

Let it be clearly stated that the Chief and people of Kandiga cherish peace and tranquility and have therefore resolved to assist the Security Services to investigate all criminal acts in the conflict area, including the recent unfortunate incident.

We wish to also use this opportunity to thank and commend the Commanding Officer of the 11th Battalion of Infantry and his able men as well as the Regional Police Commander and his Municipal/District Commanders of the troubled areas for their display of professionalism and commitment to the peace efforts.

While acknowledging the relentless efforts of the security agencies, we further appeal to them to step up their responsibilities in order to bring an end to the wanton loss of innocent lives and properties.

We also commend the efforts of Navro-Pio, Mirigu Naaba, and Sirigu Naaba, the Paramount Chiefs of Navrongo, Mirigu and Sirigu Traditional Councils respectively for accepting the responsibilities to mediate and resolve the impasse among the two communities and also make further appeals on them not to resign hope but continue to put their heads together and work unceasingly with the Regional and Municipal/District Security Councils to bring back peace to the affected communities.

Thank you.

..........................................................

Naaba Henry Abawine Amenga-Etego II

(Chief of Kandiga)

.............................................................

Hon. Mathew Akakuzia

(Chairman, Kandiga Area Council)

All Media Houses

Upper East Region