The Abudu Royal Family of Dagbon has called on the government to act urgently to stop what they describe as “the illegalities and uncustomary activities” of the regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya Na Yakubu Abdulai Andani.
They alleged that the regent had put the whole peace in jeopardy by the uncustomary and illegal installation of new chiefs in clear violation of clause “2f” of the roadmap to peace which states among other things that: “The powers of the regent shall be limited because of the peculiar circumstances of Dagbon today. In this context the regent shall not have powers to appoint any chiefs or alienate any lands or other resources’ belonging to the Dagon State.”
The Abudu Royal Family made these declarations at a press conference in Yendi on Thursday to register their displeasure about recent happenings in the Dagbon state.
Mr. Abdallah Sadeeq, Secretary to the Abudu Royal Family who read the press statement, said the Kampakuya Na in clear violation of the roadmap to peace recently installed regents for Sagnarigu and Savelugu.
The Abudu Royal family contended that it was the roadmap to peace that conferred on the Regent his current status but since by his own actions the Kampakuya Na had repudiated the roadmap they would no longer recognize him as regent of Dagbon.
They said that several major decisions taken by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs had been in favour of the Andani family and noted for example that the burial and installation of the regent of the late Na Yakubu Andani could not have been achieved without the roadmap.
“The Andani family would be working against the principle of fairness to turn against the very document from which they have monumentally benefited several fold. Indeed they lack the moral standing to do so.”
The Abudu family indicated that the Bolin Lana Abdulai Mahamadu would also begin to perform the funerals of the late Abudu chiefs and proceed to enskin substantive chiefs for those towns under the family in reaction to the Andanis’ actions.
They expressed the hope that the security agencies would provide them the necessary protection when they (the Abudus) also began to carry out their traditional responsibility of performing their funerals and installing their chiefs.
“We wish to remind the government that it is the roadmap agreement which gave the people of Dagbon this fragile peace we are enjoying. The alternative to the roadmap is a return to lawlessness and violence but we, as a people, cannot afford to live in a state of lawlessness”, they stated.
After the press conference, the Ghana News Agency approached three prominent personalities from the Andani side for their reaction to the issues raised by the Abudu family but all three declined to make any comment.