Time for peace is here

 Peace and security are essential for human survival, as a peaceful and secure environment affects all aspects of economic and social development in a country.

In a lot of cases when people talk of peace, the first predisposition is simply to stop the disorder, but that act in itself does not get to the root causes of the violence.

It may silence the guns, but this can be a temporary achievement, with strong undercurrents waiting for the opportune time to explode and with some interested few taking advantage of the calamity to satisfy their parochial interests.

From the Cold War era through to conflicts in Rwanda and Liberia, the realisation that war cannot address the grievances of feuding parties has led to intervention techniques or methods that are designed to prevent the start or resumption of violent conflict by creating sustainable peace.

Ghana may not have experienced some of the large-scale prolonged conflicts that have unfortunately engulfed other countries in West Africa and the rest of the world and drawn their progress back, but it has experienced its own isolated but bloody and at times prolonged conflicts in various parts of the country.

These conflicts have been the result of land ownership and chieftaincy disputes, among others.

One such conflict that has affected the country and especially the people of Dagbon is the skirmish between the Andani and the Abudu Royal gates of the Dagbon Traditional Area.

The decades-old disturbance was heightened when Ya Na Yakubu Andani lost his life in 2002.

Since then, many attempts have been made to settle the misunderstanding between the two gates, who are descendants of the same ancestor.

The Daily Graphic is gratified that after decades of protracted conflict, the path is clear for a process that will lead to the enskinment of a new Ya Na for the area.

We doff our hats particularly to the two gates for allowing peace a chance.

We also laud the efforts of the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and the Committee of Eminent Chiefs for their untiring efforts over the years to get to this stage.

The Daily Graphic also appreciates the work of past and present governments that has culminated in the current level of the peacebuilding process.

But we want to advise that this is the first major step in ensuring lasting peace in the Dagbon area.

In view of this, we plead with the two Royal gates to do everything possible to ensure that the current road map works for the benefit of this generation and others to come.

 We know this will succeed and when it does the current generation that ensured the lasting peace will have their names cast in gold in the annals of Dagbon.

We associate ourselves with the assurance given by the Asantehene and urge the eminent chiefs to constantly engage all stakeholders until a new Ya Na is installed to bring a finality to the matter.

We also implore the government, the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, the Peace Council and all peace-loving citizens, especially those from Dagbon, to provide all the necessary support that will make the current arrangement endure for the benefit of all.

There is nothing that is comparable to peace; let us all embrace it for accelerated socioeconomic development in our societies and the country in general.