Nkonya/Alavanyo (V/R), Feb. 25, GNA - The feuding parties in the Nkonya and Alavanyo land impasse on Thursday principally pledged to give peace a chance towards an amicable resolution of their over 80-year-land conflict. They also resolved to co-operate fully with the Regional Mediation and Peace Settlement Committee and the Joint Consultative Committee for an accelerated resolution of the conflict. These came to light when the two Committees paid separate familiarisation visits to Nkonya and Alavanyo to brief both traditional areas about their intent and asked for their fullest co-operation.

Nana Okorto Kofi III, Paramount Chief of Nkonya on behalf of his people assured the Mediation and the Joint Consultative Teams of their support and expressed the hope that "truth will prevail in all your deliberations". He commended the former Volta Regional Minister, Mr Kwasi Owusu-Yeboa for constituting the Committees and was optimistic it would yield positive results.

Togbega Tsedze Atakora VII, Paramount Chief of Alavanyo, pledged the collective decision of the people to bury the hatchet and open up a settlement. He called on both sides to promptly report the activities of rumourmongers and other miscreants, whose actions were likely to disturb the peace process, to the law enforcement agencies.

Mr William Kpende, member of the Joint Consultative Committee said antagonism had aggravated the crisis and stressed the need for dialogue to build trust and brotherliness. Nana Kofi Kodua II, Adontehene of Nkonya and member of the Joint Consultative Committee advised that trading of accusations and suspicions should belong to the past and called for a total truce. Reverend Dr Livingstone K. Buama, Moderator of the E. P. Church, Ghana and Chairman of the Regional Mediation Committee stated that the hostilities of the two traditional areas were not limited to their areas alone but had spread throughout the region at large saying, "without peace development will elude them".

Bishop Francis Anani Lodonu, Bishop of the Ho Diocese of the Catholic Church and a member of the Committee called for regular consultation with stakeholders and strategic allies in the conflict adding: "Peace is within the purview of the communities themselves". Mr James Dogbe and Mr Solomon Donkor, District Chief Executives of Hohoe and Jasikan respectively recounted how the protracted nature of the conflict had stifled and strangulated socio-economic development of their areas.