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National Peace Council commends Sirigu Naaba for leading Doba-Kandiga peace efforts

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The role of the Paramount Chief of Sirigu, Naba Roland Akwara III, in mediating and leading the peace efforts between the feuding communities of Doba and Kandiga has been commended by the Upper East Regional Executive Secretary of the Peace Council, Ali Anankpieng. He extended his commendation to the Paramount Chief during a roundtable discussion on peacebuilding and conflict management organized by A1 Radio, a subsidiary of Agreed Best Communication Limited, with support from the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Office (NABOCADO).

“We want to commend the Sirigu Naaba for the work he did in managing the peace in the Doba-Kandiga conflict,” he said.

It would be recalled that in August of last year, the chiefs of Doba and Kandiga both pledged to allow peace to prevail in their communities after years of protracted conflict that has claimed lives and destroyed properties.

The twin communities, which intermarry, have been at loggerheads over who is the rightful owner of a piece of land. It was against this backdrop that the Paramount Chief of Sirigu, Naba Roland Atogumdeya Akwara III, together with other chiefs, who had started a peace process months ago, invited the two factions – Doba and Kandiga – to the Sirigu chief’s palace to deliberate on ending the conflict.

Flanked by their elders, Tindaamas, Assemblymen, and opinion leaders, both sides of the conflict pledged to lay down their arms through a series of engagements with their youth at their various community levels.

The Chief of Doba, Naba Atandagrewurekugre Abane, regretted the impact the conflict had posed on his people. He said, “Aside from the lack of development the community suffered in the past, many lives and properties have been lost. In a twenty-first century when people are going to the moon, we are taking weapons to kill ourselves.”

The Chief of Doba, through his spokesperson, Clement Anongtara Asakiya, pledged his commitment to cease fire and allow the mediating team to work to ensure peace returns to both communities.

“From the Doba side, we want to pledge our commitment to the roadmap for peace. We will speak to the youth just as we have been speaking to them, to drop their arms and let us sit down and talk. There is no way that weapons will bring a solution to this problem. And so, we want to pledge our commitment [that] we will continue to talk to the youth. The painful truth is that everyone has had a negative bite because of this conflict.”

“So, we are now all beginning to know the reality that we cannot solve a problem by using violence. We will sit down and talk to our brothers from Kandiga. We want to also plead with Kandiga Naba and his people to also talk to the youth at his end for all of us to put down the weapons. We have become a laughing stock to the world and I think, enough is enough. Doba Naba pledges, and we pray and hope that very soon this conflict will be a thing of the past.”

On his part, Naba Henry Abawine Amenga-Etego II, Chief of the Kandiga Traditional Area, said the land dispute has retarded development in his traditional area and pledged to engage the youth of Kandiga for peace to prevail.

“I have promised to advise our youth to lay down their arms and look forward to peace coming back to the area so that we can live together as we used to be. So, we have all promised to advise our youth.”

Background

A1 Radio, a subsidiary of Agreed Best Communication Limited, recently partnered with the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Diocesan Development Office (NABOCADO) to organise a peace building and conflict management roundtable discussion in Bolgatanga, the capital of the Upper East Region. The aim of the event was to provide a platform for stakeholders to share their experiences and discuss strategies for mitigating the pockets of conflicts in the region.

During the roundtable discussion, the Chief Director of the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, Alhaji Abubakari Inusah, emphasised the importance of peaceful coexistence in the region and called on all stakeholders to work towards achieving this goal. The Regional Director for the Upper East Regional Commission for Civic Education, Mawuli Agbenu, also highlighted the need for continuous education and sensitization of the public on the roles they can play in promoting peace and resolving conflicts.

The event was graced by several dignitaries, including the Regional Chairman for the Peace Council, Alhaji Sumaila Issaka, and the Executive Secretary of the Peace Council, Ali Anankpieng. Theophilus Abolga, the representative from NABOCADO, also attended the discussion, along with traditional leaders such as the Paramount Chief of Sirigu, Naba Roland Akwara III, and the Chief of Kotintaabig, Naba Bilheesong Langwaht. IT Expert and CEO of Norgence, Albert Naa, also participated in the event.

The peace building and conflict management roundtable discussion was a collaborative effort between A1 Radio and NABOCADO, aimed at fostering peace and stability in the Upper East Region. The event was well-attended and received positive feedback from participants, who lauded the organisers for their efforts in promoting peaceful coexistence in the region.

The roundtable discussion was moderated by A1 Radio’s Mark Smith.

Source: A1radioonline.com|101.1MHz|Mark Kwasi Ahumah Smith|Ghana

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