President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has lauded the National Peace Council for the critical roles it played in the resolution of the protracted Dagbon conflict.
He disclosed that the Council also intervened in the Bawku, the Alavanyo/Nkonya, Chereponi conflicts among several others to keep the peace of the country.
In a speech read on his behalf by Defense Minister Dominic Nitiwul at the launch of the Peace Fund in Accra President Akufo-Addo said “I cannot but also mention the important roles the Peace Council has played in conflict interventions around the country including the Bawku, Dagbon, the Alavanyo/Nkonya, Chereponi among several others to keep the peace of the country”
According to him “The Peace Council, perhaps is the only institution which has a governing board with the representation of all the faith-based organizations in the country, besides civil society and our respected traditional institution. They have the influence, the credibility and clout to change behaviour of our people”
To this end, he disclosed that the launch of the fund established in section 20 of Act 818, on the theme ‘promoting national peace and cohesion through a sustainable peace Fund’ is aimed at supplementing the government’s budgetary allocation.
President Akufo-Addo is optimistic that “a peaceful Ghana will produce dividends that will inure to all the people of Ghana, regardless of ethnicity, political persuasion, religion or other beliefs! We will have peace on our academic institutions, businesses and the investor community will feel safe to invest more and create the jobs and teaming youths are demanding from us, and promote Ghana’s democratic credentials in the comity of nations”
Dagbon Peace Background
The Committee of Eminent Chiefs, on November 16, 2018, made a declaration to bring finality to the decades-old Dagbon conflict between the Abudu and the Andani Royal families when it presented a road map to peace in the troubled kingdom to President Akufo-Addo at the Jubilee House in Accra.
The committee was set up by former President John Kufuor in 2002 to find a lasting solution to the protracted Dagbon chieftaincy dispute after the killing of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II in Yendi in March 2002.
The road map gave the Abudu Royal Family two weeks to perform the funeral of Yaa Naa Mahamadu Abdulai IV from December 14 to 28, 2018, after which the final funeral rites of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II would take place from January 4 to 18, 2019.
The latter’s funeral was delayed for a week due to some misunderstanding.
With the funerals of the two Yaa Naas over, the four kingmakers of Dagbon, who include Kuga-Naa Abdulai Adam and the Gushie Naa, consulted the oracles to guide them in the choice of the right candidate for the ‘Namship’ before settling on the Paramount Chief of the Savelugu Traditional Area, Yoo Naa Abukari, who was subsequently enskinned.
