Looming conflict between communities - North Gonja DCE intervenes

Hon. Sorku Kassim Yahuza, DCE for North Gonja District has intervened to resolve a looming conflict between Kpatarigu in the Yagaba/Kebore District and Mankarigu in the North Gonja District.?

 

?The impasse which had the potency of starting an ethnic confrontation between the Mamprusi dominated Kpatarigu in the Yagaba/Kubora district and the Gonja dominated Mankarigu in the North Gonja district was ignited last weekend on the refusal of the people of Kpatarigu to allow contractors working on the extension of electricity under governments rural electrification project to nine communities in the North Gonja District including Mankarigu through the Kpatarigu community has been nib in the bud through the collaborative efforts and timely intervention of the Hon. Dce for North Gonja District.

Mr.Sorku who was acting on intelligence liaised with his counterpart in the Yagaba/Kabore district to address the issue in an attempt to find a lasting solution to the problem.? ? ? 

Narrating the issues that led to the disagreement, an Islamic leader of the Kpatarigu community who acted as the spokesperson for the community indicated that about a year ago, their only source of portable drinking water which was sourced around the the Mankerigu area had been disconnected by the people of Mankerigu under circumstances they did not understand.

He stated that this uncharitable behaviour from their neighbours had denied them access to portable drinking water till date causing unbearable hardship on the women of the community in sourcing water.

He further explained that based on this, they were also not prepared to allow the contractor  extend electricity to Mankarigu and its surrounding communities through their community. This decision he emphasised was reached by the entire Kpatarigu community as a means of registering their displeasure towards the attitude of their brothers from Mankarigu. 

On their part, the representatives of the people of Mankarigu indicated their displeasure at the unfounded accusation but declined to push any further for the sake of the presence of the two government officials in an attempt to find a lasting solution to the problem. 

?Addressing the gathering at the palace of the Kpatarigu chief, Hon. Sorku Kassim Yahuza thanked the people of Kpatariga and Mankarigu for the peaceful manner in which they have co-existed over the years.

He indicated that his outfit had picked signals of the looming conflict and in attempt to find a lasting solution to the problem had liaised with his counterpart from the Yagaba/Kabore district.

He stated that the North Gonja district and Yagaba/Kabore districts were not only neighbours but were created and inaugurated at the same period, adding that the stories of the two districts may be different but their destinies are the same since there were all rural, new and found around the "over seas" portions of Northern Region and as such at all times there must be collaboration not just between the two district assemblies but the good people of the two districts.

He informed the gathering that their presence in the communities was to find a lasting solution to the impasse and was happy both parties were ready for a peaceful deliberation. ?

Mr. Sorku emphasised that without peace in the area the two districts cannot improve on the well-being of the people through the Changing Lives Transforming Ghana agenda of the President John Mahama led government.?

Taking his turn, ?the DCE for Yagaba/Kabore, Hon. Maxwell Awuton Mahama thanked everyone present for making time to be present in such an all important meeting.

He stressed that in the interest of a peaceful co-existence between the two districts, they as representatives of the government were in the community to listen to them and to join them in finding lasting solution to the impasse.

Mr. Mahama indicated that the good people of the two communities have enjoyed a relatively peaceful co-existence and this was the time to solidify their union and not break it up.?

Before the meeting came to a close, the two government officials with the approval of the representatives of the two communities agreed to implement the recommendations of the meeting which included the re-connection of the Kpatarigu community water project and extension of electricity through the Kpatarigu community to Mankarigu and its environs.? ? ?

Accompanying the two District Chief Executives were a cross-section of NDC constituency executives from the Yagaba/Kabore and Daboya.