The Yagbonwura, Sulemana Jakpa Tuntumba Bore Essa (I), Overlord of Gonjaland, has stressed the need for continued peace within his jurisdiction to ensure development.

He has, therefore, appealed to chiefs in Gonjaland to continue to play their civic and traditional responsibilities as facilitators of peace by sensitizing the people to live in harmony with one another.

The Yagbonwura said this when he chaired a consultative peace forum at Damongo in the West Gonja District on Friday, organised by the Ghana Developing Communities Association (GDCA), a non-governmental organisation, with support from STAR-Ghana.

The forum brought together about 50 chiefs from various royal gates within the Gonja Kingdom to discuss ways to manage the expectations of the youth within their jurisdictions with regard to the verdict of the Supreme Court.

The Gonjas have a long cherished tradition of respecting as well as obeying the orders of their chiefs and hence the forum.

The Yagbonwura said: “I stand for peace” adding “we need to secure the peace of the land and must not let anything divide us.”

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Mr Ansah Dawuda, West Gonja District Police Commander, said the security agencies in the district had mapped out a strategy to protect people, vital installations and offices among others to maintain peace even after the Supreme Court verdict.

Most Reverend Peter Paul Angkyier, Bishop of Damongo Diocese of the Catholic Church, called for self-restraint, avoidance of provocative acts, and readiness on parts of all to accept the verdict of the Supreme Court.

Mr Stanley Zakaria Mahama, West Gonja District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education, called for tolerance amongst political parties and their youth groups to maintain the peace.

Alhaji Abdulai Baba, Board Member of GDCA and Facilitator of the Dagbon Peace Initiative, appealed to the chiefs to continue to play a lead role as peace ambassadors in their traditional areas.

Some of the chiefs who contributed to the discussion underscored the importance of peace and pledged to continue to uphold peace in their traditional areas.