Mankessim (CR), Oct. 5, GNA - Chiefs and people of Mankessim in the Central Region have instituted a new week-long festival "Mankessim Hossana Festival" for reconciliation among the people after their 30 years chieftaincy dispute.

It was instituted following the Supreme Court ruling in November last year, on the dispute.

Nana Ama Amissah III, Queenmother of Mankessim Traditional Area told Ghana News Agency in an interview that the festival was instituted to promote reconciliation among the people.

"The Mankessim Hossana Festival" to be celebrated in the last week of December every year, would reconcile husbands and wives, family members and the citizenry," Nana Amissah said. "The protracted chieftaincy dispute has drained our resources and affected our development programmes. We do not want to experience that again hence the festival as part of measures to enhance prompt settlement of differences," she added.

Nana Amissah explained that during the celebration palm fronds would be exchanged between feuding factions and aggrieved people as a sign of peace and reconciliation.

She said Okyir Festival that had not been celebrated for the past 20 years due to the dispute, would be celebrated for the first time during the second week of October this year.

Nana Amissah appealed to the citizenry to put the past behind them and resolve to chart a new course to develop the area. "We invite every citizen including opponents in the dispute to come together and support the town's development agenda," Nana Amissah stated.