Temporary Gbewaa Palace to be built

Kumasi, Sept 6, GNA- After several interactions with the Andani and Abudu gates as well as elders and counsellors of Ya-Na, it has been agreed that a temporary palace be built at a place to be designated by the Kuga-Na, the acting President of the Dagbon Traditional Council and the most senior of the elders of Dagbon.

The Kuga-Na will do this in consultation with Sung-Lana and Tampion-Lana from the Andani gate and the Mion-Lana and Korili-Gban-Lana from the Abudu side.

In this regard, an Oversight Committee comprising the Sung-Lana, Head of the Andanis and Mion-Lana, Head of the Abudus, will assist the Kuga-Na in supervising the building for which funds have already been made available.

These measures were contained in a release issued in Kumasi on Saturday by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs appointed by the Government to help in the restoration of peace to Dagbon.

The release signed by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, Chairman of the Committee, Yagbonwura Bawa Dosile, Paramount Chief of the Gonja Traditional area and Naa Professor John S. Nabila, Wulugu-Naba, for and on behalf of the Nayiri, Paramount Chief of the Mamprusi Traditional area, said it was established at the consultations with the Kuga-Na, that it was contrary to Dagbon tradition to rehabilitate the old Gbewaa Palace, which has been "damaged twice and blood-stained for occupation again".

The release said other measures agreed upon were for the old Gbewaa Palace to be left untouched until after further consultations with the Kuga-Na.

It said it was also agreed that the widows of the late Ya-Na will return to the temporary palace and thereafter internment of the late Ya-Na will follow.

The release said the pacification of specified gods located in and near Yendi for the March 2002 bloodshed, has been completed. It said the completion of these stages, will constitute the first phase of the programme that will lay the foundation for the continuation of the process after further dialogue and consultations.

The release said given the disposition of the stakeholders to co-operate in achieving a "durable and fair resolution of the problem that had so far engulfed Dagbon for more than a year, the committee has decided to continue meeting with the various stakeholders until the final resolution of the problem, namely the enskinment of a new Ya-Na." It said after several sessions of interaction with each group and crosschecking of information gathered coupled with further consultations, the picture that emerged was a desire for peaceful co-existence as members of one large family.