The Executive Secretary of the Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Samson Asaki Awingobit, has called on the Kusasi and Mamprusi communities to establish annual unity games as part of efforts to rebuild trust and promote lasting peace between the two ethnic groups.
Mr. Awingobit, a Kusasi by tribe, said the initiative could provide a platform for members of the two communities to interact, renew friendships and celebrate their shared cultural heritage away from the tensions associated with the protracted Bawku conflict.
He made the call at the 29th Dagaaba-Frafra Unity Games held at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra last Saturday.
The annual games, which bring together Dagaaba and Frafra indigenes resident in the Greater Accra Region, combine sporting competition with cultural displays, music, friendship and peaceful coexistence.
Mr Awingobit said the success of the Dagaaba-Frafra initiative demonstrated how sports and cultural activities could be deliberately used to strengthen relationships and foster peaceful coexistence.
He urged the Kusasi and Mamprusi communities to adopt a similar model, arguing that regular interaction could help reduce mistrust and create opportunities for dialogue between the two groups.
“I want to see one day that we, Kusasis, Mamprusis, we also gather like this to show unity. God, look, if there is unity, there will be development.”
He said although the Dagaaba and Frafra communities did not originate from the same traditional area, they had sustained their relationship through annual activities that allowed members to interact and celebrate their common identity.
Mr Awingobit said the Kusasis and Mamprusis could equally build on their historical and social relationships to create platforms that promote unity.
He noted that sports could serve as an effective entry point because it brings people together in a relaxed environment and creates opportunities for younger generations to develop friendships beyond ethnic divisions.
According to him, the annual Dagaaba-Frafra games have evolved beyond a sporting event into a major cultural gathering in Accra, attracting families, traditional leaders, friends and members of the two communities.
He described the event as an example of how cultural identity and unity could be promoted without creating divisions between communities.
“This is one of the fantastic programs that shows how families and friends gather annually to renew our unity, common purpose, and show the rest of the world the northern culture and tradition.”
Mr. Awingobit stressed that peace and unity were essential to development, particularly in communities affected by prolonged conflict.
He said sustained conflict could undermine opportunities for young people, disrupt education and limit economic development, while unity would create an environment in which communities could pursue common development goals.
The 29th Dagaaba-Frafra Unity Games were held under the theme, “Unity in Diversity: The Dagaaba-Frafra Model for Peaceful Co-existence.” The Dagaabas emerged winners of the overall competition after edging the Frafras 5-4.
The Dagaabas won the women’s lime-and-spoon race, men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s tug-of-peace and the senior citizens’ penalty shootout. The Frafras, however, won the men’s lime-and-spoon race, men’s and women’s sack races and women’s football, while the men’s football contest ended in a draw.
The Dagaabas also took home the traditional puppy prize, which symbolises the historic relationship and joking tradition between the two Upper Region ethnic groups. The Dagaaba-Frafra Unity Games have been held annually since 1996 among members of the two ethnic groups living in the Greater Accra Region.
The event has increasingly become a platform for strengthening cultural ties, promoting friendship and demonstrating the potential of community-led initiatives to support peaceful coexistence.
Mr Awingobit’s proposal comes amid continuing efforts to find sustainable ways of addressing tensions between the Kusasi and Mamprusi communities and restoring lasting peace in Bawku.
He believes an annual Kusasi-Mamprusi unity games could complement formal peacebuilding initiatives by creating regular opportunities for interaction, cultural exchange and relationship-building. The proposed initiative, he said, should focus not merely on competition but on using sport and culture to rebuild bonds among communities and create a shared sense of purpose.
A1Radio|101.1Mhz|Joshua Asaah|Accra
