The King of Dagbon, Ndan Ya Na Abukari Mahama II, has cut the sod for the construction of the new Gbewa palace complex in Yendi, the Northern region.
The King of Dagbon also launched the Dagbon Development Fund with a seed amount of GHS 100,000.
The Dagbon Development Fund is set up to facilitate the implementation of the Dagbon Strategic Development Plan. The overall objective of the Development Fund is to mobilize resources to improve the quality of life of the people of Dagbon by creating opportunities that will harness the full social, economic, cultural, and political potential of the area in an environment of enduring peace.
At the sod-cutting ceremony of the new Gbewa palace, the King of Dagbon said the ceremony marks the beginning of the realization of his vision for a new Dagbon that is set on a path for accelerated development, devoid of conflict.
“For nearly 70 years, the Dagbon traditional area was beleaguered with conflict and disunity emanating from chieftaincy and inter-ethnic disputes. These conflicts impacted negatively on the development of the area, with funds for public investments being diverted into peacekeeping. The provision of basic services, such as health, education, water, and sanitation had stalled and Dagbon fell behind the pace of development in the rest of the country.”
According to the Ya Na, in 2020, through the effort of the government and allied traditional leaders, a resolution to the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute was reached and he was enskinned as Yaa Naa, Abukari Mahama II noting that his enskinment inspired hope for a new dawn of peace and development.
“I acknowledge the role of government, the eminent chiefs of Ashanti, Gonja, and Mamprugu, and development agencies for their significant contribution to bringing peace to the traditional area. I also acknowledge the efforts of central and local governments and development partners to develop Dagbon. Seeing the deep development deficit in which the protracted conflict left Dagbon, I resolved to broaden the role of chiefs and traditional authority from chieftaincy issues, to include the wider development of Dagbon, hinged on sustained peace.”
He indicated that the Dagbon Traditional Council has produced a 10-year Dagbon Strategic Development Plan, to complement the development initiatives of government and development partners, in ways that address the priority needs of Dagbon.
“One of the key objectives of the development plan is to modernise the traditional governance system, beginning with the modernisation of the Gbewaa Palace, and the offices of the traditional council which together are the spirit of the traditional leadership. Modernising these traditional structures is necessary for the re-orientation of the role of traditional authority, with me as a leader, from managing chieftaincy issues to improving the standard of living and general well-being of our people including, children, women, and youth, and safeguarding our environment and, natural and human resources.”
The King of Dagbon, therefore, invited the government, International development agencies, the business community at large and philanthropic organizations to assist the chiefs and people of Dagbon to mobilize the resources necessary to rebuild and re-energise Dagbon to contribute its quota to the socioeconomic development of Ghana.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, and former President John Dramani Mahama among other personalities donated GHS100,000 each towards the construction of the new Gbewa palace.
FROM Eric Kombat, Yendi