Correspondence from Northern Region

The King and Overlord of Dagbon, Ndan Ya-Na Abukari II has blamed the failure of the Security agencies to arrest warmongers operating especially on social media as the cause of the renewed tensions between Konkombas and Dagombas in recent weeks.

The Dagbon Overlord said if persons who spread warmongering statements in the past were arrested and prosecuted, it would have served as a deterrent to others.

Ya Naa Abukari II who was not convinced about the commitment level of the country’s security ministers to dealing with warmongering individuals in Dagbon saying the meeting held on Tuesday was uncalled for, if promises made during such meetings to arrest and prosecute persons who sought to disturb the
peace and security of the area were fulfilled.

“Though we cannot downplay the importance of this meeting, it would’ve been totally uncalled for if we did what we promised to do… We reneged on our promises, that is why we’re here again. Now we’re back to square one to engage in another rhetoric”, the Dagbon King spoke through his interpreter.

The Dagbon Overlord spoke on Tuesday, July 11, when the Defense Minister, Dominic Nitiwul led a high powered government delegation which included the Northern Regional Minister, National Security Minister, Chieftaincy Minister and some eight Members of Parliament as well as the leadership of Dagbon Forum and Konkomba Youth Association to assure the Dagbon King of government’s commitment towards ensuring sustainable peace and security in the area.

The visit comes in the wake of heightened tensions in the area after widespread rumours that Konkombas were planning for an all out attack on parts of Dagbon.
Similar meeting was held at the Gbewaa Palace in November 2021 after similar rumours were spread by persons operating pseudo and ghost accounts on social media.

The Defense Minister, Dominic Nitiwul had assured the Ya Naa that the security agencies were going to flush out such characters and ensure they faced the full rigors of the law. That seem not to have happened as same accounts are being used to spread the rumours.

Many residents especially women and children of Sunsong, Malzeri, Gburimani among others fled their communities last Sunday after widespread rumours that their communities were going to be attacked by the Konkombas. Similarly, many Konkombas living in Dagomba areas have also fled in fear of attacks.

Ya Naa Abukari II said neither the Dagombas nor the Konkombas were happy with the tensions between them, saying that there was therefore no need for an all out war.

“Not the Dagombas nor the Konkombas are happy with what is happening, nobody needs a war, a war in which there’ll be no winners, we’ll all be the losers. Dagbon and the Northern Region are for all of us”, he emphasized.

He stressedon the need for the security agencies to take stern measures to arrest and deal with warmongers. This he added will foil the growing practice especially between unidentified Dagbon and Konkomba youth.

He urged all Dagombas and Konkombas to unite to fight poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, maternal and child mortality in the area, noting that these were the real enemies of the two tribes and not fighting each other.

“It behooves on all of us to protect the region and ensure its development for the complete eradication of poverty, illiteracy, malnutrition, maternal and child mortality, these are our real enemies. We need to direct our strengths and resources towards these real enemies so that we create jobs our youth lack”, the Dagbon King added.

The Defense Minister, Dominic Nitiwul assured that the allied security agencies were working together to arrest and deal with persons using social media to spread hate speech and engage in warmongering.

He also reiterated government’s commitment to ensuring sustainable peace and development in the Northern Region and Ghana at large.