By Peter Agengre
Parliament together with the people of the Upper East Region, has embarked on a joint peace walk on the streets of the Bolgatanga Municipality to signal their resolve to help protect and celebrate thirty years of Parliamentary Democracy under the Fourth Republic.
Members of Parliament, some political party members, fun clubs, students, and the general public joined the peace walk as they spent hours trekking the main thoroughfares of the Bolgatanga Township.
With the support of the Police Band, the walk started at the Regional Coordinating Council and ended at the Mobil Park Astroturf while chanting peace songs. There were some aerobics at the Astroturf to help some participants workout. The Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Stephen Yakubu, reminded the people about the need to live in unity.
“Today’s match will tell all of you that democracy means we can eat together, we can be friends, we can think differently, and at the same time live together. And I think we need that in this region. We belong to different ethnic groupings, but then we can live together and develop the region. We should not pick the gun to solve a problem.”
Leading the caucus was the Member of Parliament for Zebilla, Hon. Cletus Avoka, who appreciated the commitment of the people of the region and Ghana as a whole to upholding peace after 30 years of democratic rule.
“We have to work hard to sustain our democracy. A divided country is a fallen country. That’s why it’s important we come around to let you know that we need to maintain this humility, unity in purpose for the sake of this country,” Hon. Cletus Avoka mentioned.
Hon. Cletus Avoka also appealed to the people of Bawku and its surrounding communities to “eschew division and come together to work for the development of this country.”
The beauty of peace and unity in diversity stole the show as some of the peace walkers took turns to appreciate Speaker Alban Sumana Bagbin and the MPs for the gesture.
Other MPs present at the walk were Mr. Isaac Adongo for Bolga Central, Dr. Mark Nawaane for Nabdam, Dr. Dominic Ayine for Bolgatanga East, and Madam Lydia Akanvariba for the Tempani constituency, among others.
