Mr Abdulai Abdul-Malik, President of the Dagbon Students Association of the University for Development Studies (UDS), has asked people in the three northern regions, especially Dagombas to declare war against poverty but not the people.

He said time has come for the sons and daughters of the north to come together and fight and win a war against poverty but that should be done without a bullet and a spear.

Mr Abdul-Malik said this at DASA’s first ever Damba Dance celebration in Wa, aimed to show the unity among the students coming from the chieftaincy divide in Dagbon and also to showcase the rich culture to the people in the Upper West Region.

The occasion was on the theme: “Unity in development of Northern Ghana – The role of Dagbon Students Association (DASA), UDS Wa-Campus”.

Mr Abdul-Malik said Dagbon and the people of the north should remember how peace and unity eluded them in disappointment pointing out that the disappearance of peace had left everything in short supply except misery, disease and poverty.

He expressed regret that poverty which is known to be the one enemy of the people had suddenly been accepted as a sympathizing friend that had turned brothers against brothers, families against families and worse of all tribe against tribe.

Mr Abdul-Malik reminded Dagombas that unity was a secret weapon that moved their ancestors to conquer in a humble spirit and established the Dagbon kingdom and that they should not forget that peace and unity among them was the only strength needed to build the kingdom bequeathed to them to become a prosperous one to benefit the people.

He said the unity among members of the DASA should serve as a spirit and encouragement to Dagbon elders to find amicable settlement to the long standing disputes that had plagued the kingdom for sometime.

“For how long feverish birds must tremble in silence before their keepers and how long must they hold their silence on issues bordering on their future”, Mr Abdul-Malik asked.

Alhaji Amidu Sulemana, Upper West Regional Minister, in a speech read on his behalf, urged the students to use the occasion to reflect on the past and let that guide them to resolve difficulties and challenges ahead of them.

He appealed to people in the Northern, Upper West and Upper East Regions to live together peacefully and support government’s policies and programmes to bring development to the people.