Minister enjoins chiefs to foster peace in the north

The northern regional Minister Alhaji Mohammed Miniru Limuna has reminded chiefs and people of the northern region that no person can best solve the numerous violent conflicts that plagued them except themselves.

The minister said stakeholders can only play a facilitating role, but the onus lies on the people to solve their own problems. The minister said no one can impose peace onto the people of the north until they are ready to embrace it.

“I want to remind all that it is only the people of the various communities who can solve the problems we are faced with regard to the numerous violent conflicts in the area. All stakeholders can only play facilitating roles," Alhaji Muniru Limuna said this at the Northern regions house of chief when he was addressing members of the house at the general meeting of the house.

The Northern Region over the past years has gained national and international attention following its numerous conflicts which are mainly chieftaincy and land disputes which always lead to loss of lives and properties amounting to millions of Ghana cedis.

Currently, Ghana has five curfews with Northern region alone taking four out of the five curfews imposed in volatile communities.

The northern regional minister says it’s regrettable that the region years back pride itself as a peaceful and habitable region in the country can no longer claim any dignified position at the national level due to the numerous conflicts in the region.

He therefore, appealed to traditional authorities in the region to let good sense take a better part of them and give peace a chance.

Alhaji Muniru Limuna was saddened that some traditional authorities have inculcated the behaviour selling of lands that have been given to the state for development purpose by their ancestors.

This he said hampers development process in the various district of the region. He therefore, called for an immediate stop to such behaviour since does not speak well about them.

The President of the Northern regions house of Chief, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga in a speak read for him also bemoans the incessant conflicts that has marred the peace of the region over the years.

He said it the widespread perception that the region is violence prone could be in a way be right since the chiefs seem to be given more credence to the unfortunate perception.

“The region has been noted for violence relating to chieftaincy or land. Though this perception might be entirely right, we the chiefs and people seem to be given more credence to the unfortunate perception through actions”, he bemoaned.

He condemned the attitude of people resorting to violence to address grievances in the region.

Naa Bohagu Mahami Sheriga expressed his regret over the recent clashes in Bimbilla that led to the death of about 12 lives. “it is regrettable to mention the recent needless clashes in Bimbilla that led to the loss of about 12 lives”, he expressed regret.