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NDF officials meeting with British High Commission

We received an invitation to meet the Northern Ghana Team at the British High Commission yesterday, Thursday 1 June 2023. We were able to mobilise tge following to attend the meeting:

  1. Dr. Hakeem Wemah
  2. Hajia Sawaratu
  3. Mr. Peter Sangber-Dery
  4. Mr. Ben Assorow
  5. Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd)

The purpose of the meeting was to follow up on an earlier brief meeting between the chairman and the team at the airport.
The meeting afforded the NDF Team an opportunity to get properly acquainted with the new Northern Ghana Attache at the British High Commission, Mr Paul Edwards, who arrived in Ghana barely eight weeks ago.
We briefed the Team about the NDF, our activities, plans and programmes.
This was a familiarisation meeting: the two sides agreed to hold more targeted meetings in the future.

Preliminary discussions have brought up the following:

  1. Education
  2. Security and conflict
  3. Social cohesion

The idea is to raise issues for which we have firm proposals which we can submit to them.

CLASHES IN THE NORTH GONJA DISTRICT OF THE SAVANNAH REGION

PRESS RELEASE

News about ethnic clashes in the North Gonja District of the Savannah Region that have resulted in the destruction of lives, property and livelihoods have been received with sadness and sorrow by the Northern Development Forum (NDF).
Against a background of debilitating poverty, atrocious living conditions and deteriorating physical infrastructures, it is depressing to hear about another clash between groups who have shared a common heritage of neglect, lack of development and poverty. The NDF is distressed that in spite of the reality of our common challenges, some persons are quick to resort to acts of destruction and despoliation to satisfy claims to ethnic hegemony.
It is an incontrovertible fact that these clashes, and the resultant acts of destruction of livelihoods and the displacement of vulnerable rural communities, contribute to the damaging narrative of an inhospitable environment peopled by belligerent citizens prone to destruction at the least provocation.
The NDF wishes to call on children of Northern Ghana to reflect on the immeasurable damage these flare-ups do to the image of the North and the ready ammunition given to our detractors, and ‘unfriendly’ interests, to use these unfortunate incidents to deny vast swathes of peaceful Northern Ghana physical infrastructure, social amenities and economic opportunities.
Once again, the NDF is appealing to Northern Traditional Authorities, Ethnic Associations and Development Organizations to intensify initiatives to minimise the minor linguistic differences among the peoples of Northern Ghana and rather highlight the major similarities that should serve to unify us as Ghanaians with a common destiny. Misguided attempts at achieving an elusive and ultimately destructive ethnic hegemony will only lead to conflict, destruction and death.
The NDF is urging all persons of influence from Northern Ghana to work assiduously for peace in Northern Ghana. We should use our influence in the various traditional councils and
district/Municipal assemblies to preach peace and advocate for dialogue in the event of boundary disagreements and land disputes. The North Gonja clashes must not be allowed to define the future relations between two hitherto friendly neighbours. The peoples of Northern Ghana have a common enemy called poverty and we need to combine all our efforts and energies to fight this enemy

Major Albert Don Chebe (Rtd.)
Chairman, Northern Development Forum

ndf ghana

Use your influence to work towards peace in Northern Ghana -NDF urges eminent citizens

By Franklin ASARE-DONKOH

The Northern Development Forum (NDF) is calling on all persons of influence from Northern Ghana to work assiduously for peace in the region.

According to the group, any misguided attempts at achieving an elusive and ultimately destructive ethnic hegemony will only lead to conflict, destruction, and death.

The call was contained in a statement signed by the Chairman of Northern Development Forum, Major Albert Don Chebe (Rtd.).

“We should use our influence in the various traditional councils for peace, unity, and equitable development in the district and municipal assemblies to preach peace and advocate for dialogue in the event of boundary disagreements and land disputes,” the statement said.

Portions of the statement read: “News about ethnic clashes in the North Gonja District of the Savannah Region that have resulted in the destruction of lives, property, and livelihoods have been received with sadness and sorrow by the Northern Development Forum (NDF).

Against a background of debilitating poverty, atrocious living conditions, and deteriorating physical infrastructure, it is depressing to hear about another clash between groups who have shared a common heritage of neglect, lack of development, and poverty.

The NDF is distressed that, in spite of the reality of our common challenges, some persons are quick to resort to acts of destruction and despoliation to satisfy claims to ethnic hegemony.

It is an incontrovertible fact that these clashes and the resultant acts of destruction of livelihoods and the displacement of vulnerable rural communities contribute to the damaging narrative of an inhospitable environment coupled with belligerent citizens prone to destruction at the least provocation.

The NDF wishes to call on children of Northern Ghana to reflect on the immeasurable damage these flare-ups do to the image of the North and the ready ammunition given to our detractors. and ‘unfriendly interests, to use these unfortunate incidents to deny vast swathes of peaceful Northern Ghana physical infrastructure, social amenities, and economic opportunities.

Once again, the NDF is appealing to Northern Traditional Authorities, Ethnic Associations, and Development Organisations to intensify initiatives to minimise the minor linguistic differences among the peoples of Northern Ghana and rather highlight the major similarities that should serve to unify us as Ghanaians with a common destiny.

The North Gonja clashes must not be allowed to define the future relations between two hitherto friendly neighbours. The peoples of Northern Ghana have a common enemy called poverty, and we need to combine all our efforts and energies to fight this enemy”.

SOURCED: Gbcghanaonline