The Kong Traditional Council in the Gonjaland has, in partnership with Jaksally Development Organisation and College for Community and Organisational Development (CCOD), is promoting peace, diversity and inclusive community development.

The CCOD used the Social Innovation Model, dubbed the “Spiderweb instrument”, which it had developed to create a sustainability mind-set among the people, including 76 chiefs and Queen Mothers within the Kong Traditional Area in the Savannah Region.

“The Spiderweb Instrument is used to create a chemistry of strengths for sustainable development among groups, communities, and organizations,” said a release issued by Mr Jeremiah Seidu, the Executive Director for Jaksally Development Organisation and copied to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Wa.

It noted that the Kongwura Jinkurige I, Paramount Chief of Kong Traditional Area and his people were encouraged to discover development potentials in the traditional area at a community development formula execution programme.

The statement said through a model facilitative process, the chiefs and people of Kong Traditional Area were influenced to identify both human and natural resources as well as to maximise those resources for productive energies and community development.

“The facilitative process integrates the principles of appreciation and discoveries to mobilize, inquire, empower, and transform communities. The formula proved to work and could be scaled up in Ghana and African communities,” it observed.

The statement said through the Spiderweb Instrument, resources including abundance of rosewood, arable land, vast forest and shea trees among others were identified as having the potential to develop the traditional area.

It added that the activity also gave birth to a community by-law, social media network and partnerships for development and resource mobilization through homecoming among others.

The statement added that the people of Kong collectively agreed to protect their land, environment, and resources by stopping tree logging and bushfires, introducing afforestation programmes in collaboration with related state agencies including the Forestry Commission, community volunteerism to protect the forest and adapt agroecology and best farming practice among others.