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
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.
Thank you.
