REGSEC READY TO SUPPORT ANY MOVE TO RESOLVE BAWKU CRISIS
The Chairman of the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC), Hon. Stephen Yakubu has pledged the Council’s readiness to support any intervention to help resolve the Bawku Chieftaincy conflict.
He said the conflict in the area had affected the once vibrant economic hub of the region.
“What should we actually do to ensure that the truth is brought to bear? Let’s call a spade a spade with objectivity, so that at the end of the day, posterity will not judge us, as institutions which couldn’t resolve this chieftaincy matter,” he said.
The REGSEC Chair said this in a speech read on his behalf by the Chief Director of the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, Alhaji Abubakari Inusah at a stakeholders forum on Chieftaincy, Social Cohesion and Succession Planning, organized by the Catholic Diocese of Navrongo-Bolgatanga – Good Governance Justice and Peace for all traditional Paramountcies in the region.
Hon Yakubu said religion played pivotal role in peace building, and expressed hope that once the factions involved in the protracted chieftaincy conflict in Bawku were either Christians or Muslims, the quest to solve the issue would yield the desired result.
He also appealed to factions in the Bolgatanga chieftaincy dispute to accept the yet-to-be released judgement by the National House of Chiefs in order not to plunge the regional capital into another chaotic situation.
Hon. Yakubu said it was refreshing to note that seven traditional councils had completed their succession plans whiles two were at the validation stage.
“I wish to commend these traditional councils and urge the rest to emulate them to avert the several disputes surrounding the institution on either grounds of legitimacy or turn of gates to respective skins,” he said.
He commended the Navrongo-Bolgatanga Catholic Development Organization (NABOCADO) and the Catholic church for being proactive and phenomenal over the years for its significant contribution in various sectors including education, sanitation, health, governance, social and empowerment, peace and security in the region and country to complement the efforts of government.
The Vicar-General for the Diocese, Rev. Fr. Lawrence Azure, said one major cause of conflict in the region was chieftaincy as a result of greed and lust for power as some individuals put aside the laid down succession plans in order to ascend to thrones.
He said it was his hope and prayer that the participants who were Paramount Chiefs from 18 traditional councils would develop succession plans for present and generations yet unborn.
Rev. Fr. Azure said history showed that some Paramountcies had unwritten constitutions regarding succession, but they were yet to codify them.
The Vicar-General said the importance of peace could not be over-emphasized, saying it was a necessary ingredient for socio- economic development and social cohesion, and the lack of peace in Bawku had immeasurable negative impact in the area.
