Regional News of Wednesday, 20 October 2004

Source: GNA

Parliamentary Candidate appeals to parties in Dagbon Chieftaincy Case

Mampong (Ash), Oct. 20, GNA - The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for Asante-Mampong, has called for dialogue among all the factions involved in the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute. Mr Peter A Sarkodie, who made the call, said dialogue was the most important tool to prevent the Dagbon area from being engulfed in further warfare.

"Crisis of all forms had brought a lot of sufferings to people in war-torn and strife-ridden areas and must, therefore, be resisted, notwithstanding the magnitude of provocation". Mr Sarkodie was addressing an NPP Executive meeting on the Dagbon crisis and its consequences on national development at Mampong at the weekend.

He said dialogue had been employed by people desirous to settle their differences and, therefore, urged all peace loving people in Dagbon to use dialogue to settle the dispute no matter its magnitude. Mr Sarkodie, who is a Lecturer at the Mampong Campus of the University of Education, Winneba (UEW), said posterity would not forgive those, who thrived on crisis.

He said the actions of those who did not want the crisis to end in Dagbon were sabotaging the development of the country and, therefore, asked those guilty of that to repent and put a stop to it and instead work towards the attainment of peace.

Mr Sarkodie cautioned the youth to be wary of politicians, who engaged them to undertake violent acts but protected their children from such acts.

He called on Christians, Muslims and other religions to pray for an end to the Dagbon crisis since there was a limit to human efforts at settling differences.

"Such prayers must be sustained until peace reigned in Tamale, Yendi and beyond", he emphasised.

Mr Sarkodie further called on Ghanaians to eschew acts that were likely to bring about violence to enable the Government to pursue its policies and programmes vigorously.

He said God had a divine way of choosing and, therefore, anybody or group of people who had resolved to use shortcut to gain power would face the wrath of God.