Following the recent heightening of tensions in the Eastern Corridor of the Northern Region as a result of provocative social media posts and reckless pronouncements by some citizens, the Northern Development Forum (NDF) quickly reached out to the parties in dispute, notably the Dagomba Youth Association (DAYA), the Konkomba Youth Association and the Basare Youth Association (BAYA) to forestall any escalation. These interactions by the NDF have been undertaken to support the efforts of the Joint Ministerial Peace Team which visited the Northern Region recently to dispel rising tensions, and set in motion actions aimed at peaceful coexistence, social cohesion and ethnic harmony in the Eastern Corridor of the Northern Region.
The NDF wish to commend the Joint Ministerial Peace Team for their swift intervention and also applaud the Gbewaa Palace, the Dagomba Youth Association (DAYA), the Dagbon Forum (DF), the Konkomba Youth Association (KOYA), the Basare Youth Association, the Northern Regional Peace Council (NRPC) and the Northern Regional Coordinating Council (NRCC) for consulting continuously and cooperating closely to ensure that the conflict hysteria which was sweeping through the Northern Region has been curtailed.
Recent engagements by the NDF with the parties in dispute have emphasized the overwhelming appetite of the parties for peace in the region, in spite of some disagreements about the issues at stake. The NDF is urging all stakeholders to continue to engage continuously as we dialogue in order to reach a common ground. The NDF is acutely aware that the absence of violence is not necessarily the presence of peace. Proactive measures need to be introduced purposely aimed at addressing some of the existing disagreements, with a view to tackling the sources of these disagreements in order to achieve the much-deserved lasting, long-term and sustainable peace.
The NDF call on the parties in dispute to exercise maximum circumspection and restraint, and allow for a thorough interrogation of the issues at stake. All advocates of peace and development are concerned about the deleterious effects of talk and social media posts about impending
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conflict in the Eastern Corridor because even such mere talk discourages investment and aggravates the poverty of the North, which is actually the Enemy of the North.
As we work assiduously to reconcile the parties and reinforce the foundations of peace in the Northern Region, the NDF is inviting all activists and advocates for peace and the accelerated development of Northern Ghana, to collaborate with the NDF to safeguard the peace of the North.
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
SPEECH DELIVERED BY MAJOR ALBERT DON-CHEBE (RTD), CHAIRMAN OF THE NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (NDF) AT THE GUINEA CORN FESTIVAL (NDIPONDAAN) AT SABOBA ON SATURDAY, MARCH 4 2023
Mr. Chairman,
Eminent Chiefs
Prominent Citizens
Distinguished Invited Guests
All established protocols acknowledged and respected
THE GUINEA CORN FESTIVAL (NDIPONDAAN) AT SABOBA
Let me begin by apologizing to everyone for not speaking Likpakpan. I am still learning the language. If you invite me to the next Ndipondaan, I will deliver my speech in Likpakpan. My name is Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd), a former soldier and former Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation and currently Chairman of the NDF.
As chairman of the NDF, I bring you fraternal greetings from all Northern Ghanaians in particular and Ghanaians in general. The NDF represents all citizens of the North and we undertake advocacy on issues concerning the development of the North and the welfare and livelihoods of citizens of Northern Ghana.
From the benevolence of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), we have been working in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana to foster inter-ethnic coexistence, harmonious cooperation and peaceful relations among the ethnic groups in the Gushegu Municipality, Tatale, Chereponi and Saboba Districts.
As part of our peace and unity activities, we have trained several persons as Peace Advocates in these districts. We have also created Multi-Ethnic Dance Groups who have been training together to dance all the dances of the ethnic groups, irrespective of one’s ethnic group. The group have come together as a sign of the ethnic harmony and community cooperation that we believe will accelerate development in Northern Ghana. This group is also a manifestation of the unity and peace which is at the heart of the Ndipondaan Festival.
Mr. Chairman, Eminent Chiefs, Distinguished Invited Guests, it is my special privilege to invite the Saboba Multi-Ethnic Dance Group to perform and deliver our messages of Peace at the Ndipondaan Festival.
SPEECH DELIVERED BY MAJOR ALBERT DON-CHEBE (RTD), CHAIRMAN OF THE NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (NDF) AT THE 66TH INDEPENDENCE ANNIVERSARY PARADE AT TATALE ON MONDAY, MARCH 6, 2023
The Honourable District Chief Executive
The Paramount Chief of the Tatale Traditional Area
Senior Security Officers
Honourable Assembly Members and Political Appointees
Distinguished Invited Guests
All Protocols already established acknowledged and respected
NDF Ghana 66 Independence at Tatale MAJOR ALBERT B. DON-CHEBE (RTD) ESQ, – NDF Ghana
I bring you fraternal greetings from the Northern Development Forum (NDF) on the occasion of the 66th anniversary of Ghana’s independence. My name is Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd), a former soldier and a former Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC), and currently the Chairman of NDF.
Through the benevolence of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), NDF has been working in four Districts in the Eastern Corridor of Northern Ghana, namely, Gushegu, Chereponi, Saboba and Tatale-Sanguli. The purpose of our activities in these Districts is to strengthen inter-ethnic co-existence, deepen community relations and reinforce peace and unity among the ethnic groups in the Eastern Corridor.
Hon. DCE, as part of our peace and unity activities, we have trained several persons as Peace Advocates and also established Multi-Ethnic Dance Troupes in the four Districts. Today, I am honoured to introduce to you the Multi-Ethnic Dance Troupe of the Tatale-Sanguli District. This troupe is composed of Basares, Fulbe and Konkombas. Today, we will see Fulbe dancing Basare dances and vice versa and Konkombas dancing Fulbe dances and vice versa. This cross-dancing is to demonstrate that we are essentially one people and must respect one another, and not allow linguistic differences to divide us to the point of violence and anarchy.
Hon. DCE, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, It is my special pleasure and privilege to invite the Tatale Multi-Ethnic Dance Troupe to the arena to perform and also deliver their messages of peace and unity.
Thank you and God Bless Ghana.
NDF Ghana 66 Independence at Tatale MAJOR ALBERT B. DON-CHEBE (RTD) ESQ, – NDF GhanaNDF Ghana 66 Independence at Tatale MAJOR ALBERT B. DON-CHEBE (RTD) ESQ, – NDF Ghana
PRESENTED BY MAJOR ALBERT DON-CHEBE (RTD), CHAIRMAN OF THE NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (NDF), IN TAMALE ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2022
Good morning, Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media;
The Northern Development Forum (NDF), an advocacy group for the integrated development of the five regions of Northern Ghana, have invited you this morning to assist the NDF to throw the searchlight on to the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam Project (PMD), exactly three years i.e. 36 months after sod was cut on 29th November 2019.
The PMD, which has been described by government as “the largest investment ever made by any government in the Northern part of the country” has been described as a multipurpose one because it has been designed to resolve perennial devastating floods caused by spillage from the Bagre Dam in Burkina Faso, provide a reliable water source for dry season agriculture, and double as a source of hydro-power coupled with a solar component. This, would undoubtedly, open up immense opportunities for the socio-economic transformation of Northern Ghana in particular and Ghana as a whole.
Dear Media Professionals;
The centrality of PMD to the accelerated development of Northern Ghana in particular, and Ghana in general, is best understood when the benefits of the project are summarized. The project will result in:
The irrigation of 25,000 hectares of land by gravity (or up to 40,000 ha if pumping is included), which will produce enough rice to reduce our rice importation by 17% and maize importation by 32%, leading to huge savings in scarce foreign exchange and further strengthen the cedi. Other crops like onion, tomatoes, water melon, etc., would also be produced in commercial quantities.
It would be a major stimulus for industrializing the north and the middle-belt of the country.
It will be a major source of employment for young and old and could contribute to reversing the north-south migration especially of young girls seeking neck-breaking work in the cities of southern Ghana, who often end up sexually abused.
The acquisition of additional 60 MW of power to bolster power supply and reduce blackouts in Northern Ghana; consequently, providing stable power to further attract industries and other businesses to Northern Ghana, and also free up power from Akosombo and others for the rest of the country.
The cessation of the annual flooding which have led to the loss of several lives and livelihoods whenever the Bagre Dam is spilled in Burkina Faso.
The development of Aquaculture and Fisheries to boost protein consumption and new livelihoods for the youth.
Provide a potable water source for tens of thousands of people especially in the Upper-East and North-East regions.
The direct and indirect benefits of PMD are actually incalculable. Preliminary estimates of benefits are at best conservative, and given the strategic location of the Project in the very heart of the North, touching all the five regions of Northern Ghana, NDF recognises this project as the missing link in the unpleasant story of underdevelopment in Northern Ghana.
It is in cognizance of this that NDF have lobbied and engaged all governments since 2007 for the construction of this dam. Consequently, NDF have acknowledged 29th November 2019 as the ‘second’ independence day of Northern Ghana, because this was the day our dream started becoming reality. It is therefore very shocking for us to hear that the PMD has been abandoned.
Following contradictory statements from various government appointees, we travelled, last week, to the two major project sites- the Dam site at Kurugu and the irrigation development site at Sariba.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media;
At Kurugu, we were confronted by utter desolation and loud silence. There was only a heap of chippings to indicate that someone had intended to undertake some form of construction. We proceeded to the irrigation development site, off the Wulugu-Kpasenkpe road. There, we found a well-built work camp, with comfortable dormitories, workshops and dining facilities, large enough to accommodate over 300 workers and large piles of concrete blocks. We found only one (1) worker on site, and no equipment or machinery whatsoever. We were informed that the contractor withdrew from the site in May 2022, following the award of a new contract to them to build an interchange in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region.
To allay our fears regarding the PMD project, the NDF will appreciate it if the Government could respond to the following questions:
Why has work on the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam been abandoned?
Why has the contractor been deployed to a new government project site when he has not completed a previous government contract which commenced three (3) years ago?
Where did the government find money for this new project when it could not find money for the “single largest investment in Northern Ghana” which would change the lives of over four (4) million people in that catchment area?
Why is it that similar large scale projects in other parts of Ghana have secure and guaranteed funding sources but the PMD has no guaranteed funding source?
What conclusions are citizens of Northern Ghana to draw in the light of this unequal, unfair and unequitable treatment in the distribution and funding of a critical, life-changing and transformational infrastructural investment in Northern Ghana?
The NDF recalls vividly the speech of the President of Ghana, H.E. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, during the sod-cutting ceremony three years ago. He said, “this is in fulfilment of the pledge the NPP government made to the people; we do not renege on our promises, we keep them”.
The North was promised a completed transformational project in 50 months. Unfortunately, 36 months down the line, there is very little hope regarding the continuation, let alone the completion, of the project. We therefore appeal to the government to redeem the promise made to the people of Northern Ghana by resuming work on the project. The PMD is the future of Northern development that the North has waited over sixty (60) years for; the kind of transformational infrastructure that have accelerated development in other parts of Ghana such as the Akosombo and Kpong Dams in the Eastern Region, Atuabo Gas Project in the Western Region and the Bui Dam in the Bono Region. All these projects were executed in times of great financial difficulties. None was abandoned because of financial stress. Innovative and creative arrangements were designed by governments of the time to ensure the completion of these iconic projects.
Today, it is the turn of this government to demonstrate innovation, enterprise, ingenuity, diligence and focus to guide the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam to completion. As a comparison, the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), costing US$5B with a capacity of 6450 MW i.e. 107x the capacity of PMD and double the total power consumed in Ghana today, was built using resources mobilized from Ethiopians at home and abroad and was constructed largely by Ethiopian engineers, in a country which is, most probably, poorer and as debt-ridden as Ghana.
In sum what the NDF is saying is that the North deserves the Pwalugu Multipurpose Dam, NOW! We hope that the Government will heed to our call.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media;
Thank you very much for coming; we hope that you will amplify our voice by disseminating this message as widely as possible.
Major Don-Chebe started life as a lecturer at the University of Ghana, Legon. Later, he joined the Ghana Armed Forces and retired in 2000 to take up the position of Corporate Affairs Manager at Ghana Breweries Ltd (GBL). He was later appointed Communications Consultant at the Ministry of Public Sector Reform in 2005.
In 2006, he joined Ghana Telecom as Head of Corporate Communication and Customer Service and continued in the same role when Vodafone took over Ghana Telecom in 2008. He moved on to the Millennium Development Authority (MiDA) as Director, Community and Public Outreach in 2009. In 2012, he became the Director, Corporate Planning & Communication at the Export Development & Agricultural Investment Fund (EDAIF), now EximBank, and later became the Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) from 2013 – 2016.
From 2011 – 2015, he was the President of the Institute of Public Relations, Ghana, (IPR) and the President of the African Union of Broadcasting (AUB) from 2015-2016. He is also a member of the Ghana Bar Association.
Major Don-Chebe has undertaken training, mentorship and consultancy in Public Relations, Strategic Communications, Change Management, Business Process Review, Media Law, etc., at several organizations in Ghana.
Mr. Peter C.N. Sangber-Dery, who is currently a Consultant, is both a Chartered Accountant and a Chartered Banker. Until January 2019 he was the Deputy Managing Director of the Heritage Bank Ltd. Prior to coming into that position, Mr. Sangber-Dery had had a very fruitful career in the banking industry spanning over thirty-eight years. It was in 1979 that he started his banking career at the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB), where by dint of hard work and commitment to duty he held several positions and rose through the ranks to be General Manager. In addition to serving as Branch Manager at the Koforidua Branch, where he turned the then loss making branch into a highly profitable one, he also served as Branch Manager of the Cedi House Branch (the then Head Office Branch), where he led his team of staff to grow the deposits and the loan portfolio of the branch, and also tremendously increased the profits made by the branch. Apparently, in recognition of his good performance at the branch level, and to further give him more challenging tasks, Mr Sangber-Dery was moved to head the Treasury Department of the Bank. As Treasurer of the Bank (ADB), he was also a member of the Management Committee of the Bank. Here again, he proved equal to the task, as he led his staff to manage the resources so well that the Treasury Department contributed very significantly towards the overall profits made by the bank over the entire period of his role as Treasurer. Indeed, owing to his good achievements as the Treasurer of the bank, he was retained in that role for eight years (1996-2004). Other Departments of the bank that Mr Sangber-Dery headed are the Accounts (or Finance) Department, and the Audit Department, where he was Chief Internal Auditor (or General Manager/Audit). In addition to being a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants (Ghana), and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (Ghana), he is also a Fellow of the Institute of Directors (Ghana), a Certified Information Systems Auditor, a Member of the Ghana Association of Restructuring and Insolvency Advisors (GARIA), and an Insolvency Practitioner (IP), licensed by the Registrar General under the Corporate Insolvency and Restructuring Act 2020, Act 1015, and the Companies Act 2019, Act 992. Mr. Sangber-Dery holds the BSc Admin (Accounting Option) Degree from the School of Administration (now University of Ghana Business School), and an MBA from l’Université de Paris 1, Sorbonne, France. Mr Sangber-Dery has a lot of experience, and has served, and still serves, on a number of Boards including the Forest Plantation Development Fund Board (where he represented the Agricultural Development Bank), the Koforidua Catholic Diocesan Health Board, the Cardinal Dery Foundation, the Supreme Executive Board, (Knights of St John International, United States of America), and the Ghana News Agency (GNA). He also served as a member of the Governing Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers (Ghana), from 2007 to 2019, where he served on a number of Committees, and also held the
The Northern Development Forum (NDF) would like to commend President Akufo Addo for his decisive and timely response to the global Covid-19 pandemic in Ghana. We see that the measures adopted are very necessary to safeguard citizens from this deadly attack.
Covid-19 has taken the world by storm. In military parlance, it is like the enemy launching a tactical attack that completely paralyzed the entire military response arsenal of the defense side of the belligerent forces. Comparatively, the Covid-19 attack or invasion of Africa and for that matter Ghana, is just beginning.
The NDF has observed thus far, that this pandemic has, once again, exposed the fragility and vulnerability of Ghanaians and in particular Northern Ghana. The most horrendous reports of human suffering as a result of the lockdown has been about the movement of KAYAYEE back home to their communities in the Northern part of the country. Even children were involved in this situation of misery. While we appreciate Government’s effort to mitigate the plight of the KAYAYEI, we wish to make the following observations and proposals:
1. All the five Regions in Northern Ghana have rather porous borders and the officials are few and ill equipped with resources. We therefore appeal for increased border vigilance, including the deployment of the military to augment the efforts of the Immigration Officials and the provision of adequate logistics.
2. It is quite worrying that there is no single approved centre for Covid-19 testing in the whole of Northern Ghana. We are aware of the two Research Centers in Navrongo and Kintampo and other Regional hospitals and wonder if these could not easily be upgraded to undertake testing for Covid-19. This would ease the national burden currently centered in Accra and Kumasi research centers and would enhance our effectiveness and efficiency in the national fight against the virus.
3. We call for fair and equitable distribution of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to Northern Ghana and other deprived Regions.
4. We have observed that socio-cultural practices and behaviours have a great potential to nullify the national effort at fighting the Covid-19. We call for a targeted support mechanism for Religious and Traditional Leaders in Northern Ghana to engage in systematic efforts at Social Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) on Covid-19 and public health in general to stem the devastating impact of the pandemic.
5. We have noted that, in anticipation of the lockdown of Accra and Kumasi, mass exodus of female head-porters called KAYAYEI, would occur. We know the dominant communities which these KAYAYEI returned. These include Tolon, Savelugu, Nasia, Wale Wale and Nyankpala. In this regard we are calling for comprehensive testing of these targeted communities that have received mass influx of KAYAYEE. This, we believe, will also improve the Government’s surveillance tracking for cases.
6. The NDF also note with particular appreciation the efforts that were made to restrain the Mass movement of some of the KAYAYEI back to Northern Ghana. We know that this is a very difficult decision to make in balancing individual fundamental rights with the promotion of the common good; especially that the fastest way of spreading this deadly disease is through human movement and contact.
7. We cannot talk about vulnerabilities without remembering some of the communities in Northern Ghana that were devastated by rainstorms, recently. We commiserate with the victims for the losses and harm that they have experienced.
We assure the President and Government of Ghana of our fullest cooperation and support in the common battle to defeat the Covid-19 pandemic.
Press Release
The Northern Development Forum (NDF) wishes to express its gratitude and appreciation to all those who, following its appeal recently, have given financial and material support to the victims of the floods in the three northern regions of Ghana.
At the maiden meeting of the Forum last Sunday (September 30, 2007) one hundred and fifty three million (C153 m) cedis was realised. Consequently, the Forum has established a fund known as the Northern Relief Fund to manage financial contributions. The following accounts have been opened at the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB)
ADB House, Accra:
Cedi Account Number: 1161000002986
US Dollar Account: 1162000000348
Auditors have also been appointed.
The Fund will be managed by one person from each of the three northern regions. They include Mr. Adam Sulley for the Upper West Region; Mrs. Susana Mahama for the Upper East Region and Dr. Hafez Adam Taher, Northern Region. It is under the Chairmanship of Dr. Hakim Wemah.
Ten members from each of the three regions have also been selected to serve on the following committees:
a) Fund Raising and Finance
b) Reconstruction
c) Public Affairs
d) Data Bank and Research
Following the heavy floods that have hit the three regions of the northern part of Ghana and the havoc caused in their wake, a group of like-minded people saw the need to meet in order to come up with measures to help the flood victims in the short-term and to consider drawing up a more comprehensive long-term plan and strategies for finding sustainable solutions to the distressed situation of the three regions.
Statistics from official sources indicate that 56 people have died; about 300,000 were internally displaced (IDP), 35,000 houses collapsed and almost 60,000 farms were destroyed. More than 500km of roads and a number of bridges were affected. A large amount of agricultural produce and livestock were also lost. The floods have affected drinking water supply and the health of the people in the three regions. Famine will be very severe particularly in the dry season if mitigating measures are not taken immediately.
The Forum’s main concern is to contribute financially and materially to support the relief programme in the affected areas, in collaboration with non-governmental organisations, religious bodies, development partners in an effort to complement the work of the Government of Ghana.
For a more efficient and effective management of the Relief items the Forum is appealing to the Government of Ghana to establish committees or task forces, on the regional, district and local council levels, comprising NADMO, religious bodies, political parties, NGO’s and representatives of traditional rulers for a more coordinated and transparent distribution of relief items.
The Forum will present a memo to the Government of Ghana on a suggested comprehensive reconstruction programme to be put in place for better development of the three regions, particularly in the areas of housing, industry, agriculture, construction of dams for dry season farming, education, health, roads and transport.
The Forum wishes to register its appreciation to the Government of Ghana, development partners, diplomatic missions, NGO’s, religious bodies, the private business sector and individuals who have been providing relief to the victims of the floods.
We do express our solidarity with and sympathies to the people of other parts of Ghana and elsewhere in Africa who have been affected by floods.
Issued on behalf of the Forum by: Ben Assorow, Convener of the Maiden Meeting of the Forum
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FROM: NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM (NDF)
TO: ALL PEOPLE OF BAWKU THROUGH THE MEDIA
The Leadership of the Northern Development Forum (NDF) and all Ghanaians, particularly from the three Northern Regions, have observed and followed with deep sadness the violence and destruction that has engulfed the Bawku area since January 2008. The NDF extends its deep sympathy and condolences to all the families, communities, chiefs and leaders of Bawku, particularly, the victims of the violence. The NDF further sympathises and grieves with all the people of Bawku, particularly the Kusasis and Mamprusis, who have lost their homes and businesses as a result of the recurring violence and destruction.
While extending condolences, the NDF urgently calls for all hostilities and violence to end forthwith in the Bawku area. Kusasis and Mamprusis must find the moral courage and the spirit of tolerance to confront and overcome violence. Too many people have died in a conflict that can never be resolved through violence. Nowhere has violence solved any problem. The present level of hatred that is consuming the two communities in Bawku has led to revenge killings and deepened internecine violence that is unacceptable in a country where the respect for the rule of law is supreme. The NDF draws the attention of all the youths of Bawku that Ghanaian traditions and values respect the sanctity of life. More importantly, the two great religions that form the majority of our community of faith and (belief not believe) in God, Christianity and Islam underscore the sacred value of human life. Every Kusasi or Mamprusi or for that matter any person from another ethnic group who is killed in Bawku through this conflict is a violation of our own values and the faith in which we seek salvation. The NDF urges that first and formost, the killings and the burning of houses must stop and stop now.
While we ask for restraint from all especially the youths from both sides, Kusasis and Mamprusis, we remind all those active in this violence to reflect on the consequences of their actions. The re-escalation of violence from 31st December 2007 has now persisted with unprecedented levels of killings and burning of personal property with impunity. While the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council (UE-RCC) and the Security Agencies are deploying all the necessary efforts to restore calm and order, the continued killings in Bawku and its surrounding areas make it impossible to build the minimum trust and confidence required to engage in peacebuilding efforts. We urge the Security Agencies to maintain their vigilance in the coordination of security and to sustain professionalism in the conduct of their duties in a polarised environment that has been exacerbated by families still grieving from the loss of their loved relatives.
The NDF recognises that ending the current violence is only an immediate response while engagement for durable peace must continue. The NDF therefore appreciates the personal involvement of the President of the Republic of Ghana by talking to both sides to stay calm while efforts are made to promote peace in the area. The return of calm however must provide opportunity for active engagement through dialogue with Kusasis and Mamprusis as well as other ethnic groups in the Bawku area to build peace within the framework and context of the laws of Ghana and the respect for fundamental human rights. We urge Government to spare no efforts in their primary duty and responsibility to protect all residents in the Bawku area.
We have followed as well and support the efforts of Civil Society Organisations and Religious Bodies to build peace under the Bawku Peace Initiative. Such efforts can only yield fruits when the violence ceases immediately. The NDF appeal for calm and cessation of violence and destruction also goes directly to all political and opinion leaders from the Bawku area resident in Accra and all the Regional Capitals and main towns in Ghana. You must stand up and speak against violence and appeal for peace and calm from your own people from whom you have earned respect and leadership. In this hour of need, your silence could be misinterpreted to endorse violence in Bawku. In your capacity as leaders, your voice to support peace is paramount.
Finally, in this humble appeal, NDF observes that the people of Bawku, Kusasis and Mamprusis have no choice but to reconcile and build a high capacity of tolerance in order to co-exist peacefully. Such co-existence is the only way to bring to all the people of Bawku, human development, peace and prosperity. The journey towards reconciliation must begin now. The courage and convictions of the leaders of Kusasis and Mamprusis from Bawku to build peace amongst themselves can start this journey. The obstacles during this journey of reconciliation will be overcome with the support of NDF and all Ghanaians but the courage and vision of Mamprusis and Kusasis from Bawku should start this journey now.
May Peace return to Bawku.
Signed: Dr. Hakeem Wemah, Chairman, NDF
NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT FORUM
