An appeal has been made to the Waala Traditional Council for it to take urgent steps to resolve pockets of chieftaincy and land disputes in the Traditional Area in order to prevent them from escalating.
The Upper West Regional Minister, Dr Hafiz Bin Salih who made the appeal equally stressed the need for time-tested traditional conflict resolution mechanisms to be employed in addressing the disputes.
He was addressing a durbar of chiefs and people of the Waala Traditional Area to climax the centenary celebration of the Dumba Festival in Wa.
The focus of this year’s Dumba Festival is “Hundred Years of Uninterrupted Dumba Festival of the Waala Traditional Area – Our Achievements, Challenges and the Way Forward”.
The Regional Minister, Dr Bin Salih observed that resolution of disputes through time-tested traditional method is more reconciliatory than the adversarial court system that leads to, a winner-loser scenario, which leaves permanent scars for several generations to manage.
He paid tribute to the Wa Naa, Naa Fuseini Seidu Pelpuo for upholding peace in his traditional area.
“I wish to seize this opportunity to salute His Majesty the Overlord of the Waala Traditional Area for the sustained efforts at maintaining peace and unity in the Traditional area and the municipality as a whole”, Dr Bin Salih observed.
Dr Bin Salih used the occasion to commend the Regional House of Chiefs for successfully electing the leadership of the House and also nominating representatives to serve at the National House of Chiefs in Kumasi.
The Regional Minister was however not happy about the high incidence of gambling and sports betting activities among the youth in Upper West and admonished them to desist from such practices.
The spokesperson of the Wa Naa, Ibrahim Kadri entreated politicians to embark on issue-based campaign: “The centenary Dumba festival celebration in Wa is being done at a time when we are very close to the December 2020 general election. I believe that politicians across the political divide have ample issues to talk about in their campaigns. And so I urge you all to focus on issues and track-record based campaigns and not to be drawn into vitriolic verbal attacks, mud-slinging and name calling. Let us all be aware that Ghana as a nation has become a pillar of real democracy in Africa. Today, we are a nation whose politics and democratic practices are undoubtedly admired by the outside world. We should jealously guard this enviable feat.”
Mr Kadri called on all traditional rulers to treat the various competitors seeking election as their own sons and daughters so that we can safeguard the peace and stability of our country.
Story Filed By: Emmanuel Mensah-Abludo
