Gov't to Bring Lasting Solution to Dagbon Chieftaincy Crisis
Abdul Salam Sule, Ghanadot

Accra, Jan 21, Ghanadot - Ms. Hannah Tetteh Kpodah, the spokesperson for the government Transition Team has revealed that, His Excellency, President John Evans Atta Mills would provide lasting solution to the Dagbon chieftaincy crisis in the Northern Region as he promised during his political campaign in the region.

The assurance by the government follows a petition by an Accra based Andani Youth Group asking President Mills to intervene and speed up the resolution of the protracted Dagbon chieftaincy dispute.

Speaking to the media in Accra, the spokesperson for the government Transition Team, Ms Hannah Tetteh Kpodah intimated that, the Atta Mills led administration would not renege on its campaign promise to bring justice and lasting peace to the Dagbon traditional area.

"But before we can start building the peace process, we have to get an Attorney General in place and also have all the other ministerial appointees who will help us to conduct the necessary investigations", she explained.

Ms Tetteh has therefore made a passionate appeal to the Andani Youth Group to exercise patience and very soon, the government would provide lasting peace to the Dagbon chieftaincy crisis.

It should be noted, the Dagbon traditional area in the Northern Region has enjoyed fragile peace since the overlord, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani was killed in the year 2002 together with 40 royals from the Andani family. The Andani faction has since accused the royal Abudu family for masterminding the King's death and 40 others.

The immediate past President, Mr. John Agyehum Kuffour, after the gruesome murder set up the Wuaku Commission to investigate the case but after the investigations, the commission failed to bring the perpetrators of the crime to book.

In a related development, the head of West African Peace Network, (WANEP), Mr. Emmanuel Bombande, has advised the government to play a neutral role in ensuring peace in the Dagbon traditional area. He also advise the government to deal with both the criminal aspect of the case and the traditional royal difficulties.

According to Mr. Bombande, dealing only with the criminal aspect of the case does not address the underpinning issues that created the antagonism which eventually led to the killing of the Chief and 40 others.

"It is very critical that government plays a role and provide the framework for peace to the people of Dagbon but the framework should not be understood as if it was government that was giving the peace to the people but it should be made possible for the people to make the peace themselves", Mr. Bombande advised the government.

Ghanadot