Mrs Daniela Kuzu, Country Director for Friedrich –Egbert-Stiftung (FES), has appealed to the traditional rulers in the Osu Doku Traditional Area to put aside their political differences for the development of the area.
She made this appeal during a seminar organized by the Centre for Development Research and Advocacy (CeDRA), an NGO, in collaboration with FES for the traditional leaders in Osu Doku Traditional area.
Prior to the 2000 general election, a political disturbances which had chieftaincy disputes undertones erupted at Asutsuare located within the Osu Doku District which led to the loss of lives and has since created insecurity in the area.
This led to many native of Asutsuare going into exile in other neighboring towns such as Akuse, and even after 13 years of the conflict, many of the natives are unable to return to their homes.
Mrs Kuzu said, “In conflict resolutions, we should all see the solution(s) as a win-win game as everyone should be satisfied with the result, because a person who see him or herself as a loser would be discontent and might even go ahead to plan more evil”.
She said poverty, migration, destruction of infrastructure, shortages of food, water and electricity amongst others were some of the challenges associated with conflicts.
Mr George Dzeto, Programmes Cordinator, CeDRA, said although the Kuffour administration in April 2004 established a commission to investigate the conflict and come out with recommendations, the report of the Commission which was presented to the then Eastern Regional Minister in October 2004 has still not been made public.
He cited lack of jobs for the youth in Osu Doku as some of the challenges faced by the people due to the conflict in the traditional area.
“It is sad that the land for the famous Akuse Dam and the land for the famous Kpong Canal which is the biggest canal in the country are all on Osu Doku land yet there is no single person from Osu Doku is on the boards of these two organizations, so how do we lobby for jobs for our youth”, he said.
He said the centre had undertaken a research to ascertain the situation in the area and had mapped out strategies for addressing the conflict in the area so that it did not reoccur.
“For peace to reign in this area, we have facilitated a training workshop for 134 youth leaders and opinion leaders drawn from all the major communities within Osu Doku area, we also intend to carry out a community dialogue and peace games so as to promote peace and tolerance among the natives of Osu Doku”, he said.
Mr Dzeto, who is also a research fellow at CeDRA, appealed to the chiefs and opinion leaders to be very careful of those who bring them information since the research undertaken by CeDRA revealed that most of the information which fuelled conflicts in the area were false, perceptions, unnecessary myths and even superstitions.
Ms Betty Akumatey, Lecturer at the University of Ghana, appealed to the traditional leaders not to allow themselves to be by selfish people in order to denigrate the chieftaincy institution which is the embodiment of our culture.
