President Akufo-Addo
President Akufo-Addo says his government is working assiduously to find a lasting solution to the issues of land and chieftaincy issues across the country.
He believes it is the major cause of most internal conflicts in Ghana.
“So far in our governing system, we have not found a satisfactory way of dealing with it,” he admitted, reason he said his government is working hard to find ways of dealing with them amicably.
He gave the assurance when the chiefs of the Nanung Traditional Council in the Northern Region led by the Nyelinbolgu Naa, Yakubu Andani Dasana called on him at the Jubilee House Tuesday evening.
The chiefs raised issue over some of their lands and chiefs being under the Oti Region but not being given proper recognition to the extent that chiefs unknown to the kingdom were being imposed on them.
President Akufo-Addo indicated that in such situations where lands that have been in the ownership of the people for a long time did not become part of the administrative set up they belong, it could create issues, with sometimes unscrupulous people taking advantage to create further divisions and conflicts.
He, therefore, commended the Regent for raising the issue even though he acknowledged the fact that it is not peculiar to their traditional area alone but a national phenomenon.
On the security of the area, the President expressed delight that there is peace in the area.
“I am very happy to hear that because at any one stage my biggest concern is to make sure that there is peace in the area,” was how he put it.
That, he said, was the reason government continues to equip the police to maintain law and order whilst protecting lives and properties.
Even that, he said “still there are gaps that have to be filled and that efforts would be made to fill them and we should have that reassurance government would do its best to make sure that the issues of lawlessness in the area are dealt with.”
President Akufo-Addo also assured that government would deal with their concerns about the expansion of the Bimbila Hospital to cater for the increasing number of patients as well as the request for the construction of health training institute for the area.
Naa Andani Dasana commended the President for his remarkable commitment to the welfare and progress of Ghanaians, saying “we are fortunate to have you as our President especially in these turbulent times largely occasioned by external factors.”
That, he said, was due to the fact that “history has shown that great leaders emerge not from rosy moments but troubled times.”
He was grateful for the support the people of Nanung has so far received especially through various social intervention programmes which has impacted on the lives of the people.
By Charles Takyi-Boadu, Presidential Correspondent