Dagbon Peace: History Has Been Made – Oppong Nkrumah

Information Minister, Kojo Oppong-Nkrumah has stated that, the current peace roadmap toward resolving the chieftaincy impasse between the Abudu and Andani royal gates in the Dagbon Traditional Area has set into the history book of the country.

Speaking at the Jubilee House today, he said the chieftaincy tension in the region over the period brought a hard pressure on citizens and the current outcome of peace has become necessitated  to bring growth and development to the area.

“Peace in Dagbon not just involved Dagbon but it involves the whole of Ghana. It is a matter of high national priority that we give Dagbon peace. Government  provided the necessary resources and support to facilitate the mediation process for a peaceful resolution of the matter.” – he said.

He further stated that government will need the support of both sides in handling the long-standing dispute between the Abudu and Andani royal families since results can only be achieved collectively.

“We will look forward to the leadership of both sides signing up to the roadmap and also encourage their followers of both sides to join hands so that we can move forward with this roadmap’’.

Representatives of the Abudu and Andani royals led by the Northern Regional Minister, Mr Salifu Sae-eed, have already arrived in Accra for the meeting.

Background

The two royal gates of Dagbon have been engaged in chieftaincy conflicts that boiled over on 27 March 2002 and resulted in the assassination of Ya Na Yakubu Andani and the killing of 30 others.

The government of then-president John Agyekum Kufuor declared a state of emergency and imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on the Dagbon Traditional Area.

The Kufuor government set up the Justice Wuako Commission to investigate the crisis and it has since submitted its report.

The government also appointed the Committee of Eminent Chiefs led by the Asantehene to find a traditional solution to the impasse.