The Former President of the Northern Region League of Youth and traditional leader, Nanton Nyoglo Naa Abass Salifu has vehemently cautioned politicians never to attempt to do anything that would send the Dagbon Kingdom back to the ‘dark days’ where violence, mistrust, disunity and bloodshed were the order of the day.
According to him, politicians could not continue to ‘hoodwink’ the people of Dagbon to satisfy their selfish interest at the expense of the peace, unity and development of the area.
Naa Abass Salifu has therefore charged all the people in the region, especially the youth of Dagbon to distance themselves from politicians and other influential persons who try to induce them with monies and alcohol and provide them with weapons to destroy themselves and the peace in the area.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with WatchGhana.Com at his Royal Palace in Tamale, Naa Abass Salifu recounted how the Dagbon traditional area had suffered socio-economic and infrastructural development setbacks in the last 17 years as a result of the chieftaincy dispute orchestrated by some selfish politicians.
The dispute that ensued between the Abudu and Andani royal families in 2002 led to the murder of the Overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Yakubu Andani and several of his kingmen.
The former President of the National Union of Graduate Students (NUGS) expressed utmost disappointment in majority of the political figures and other influential people in Dagbon and the Northern regions for gaining notoriety in destroying the energetic youth to advance their political and parochial interest instead of empowering the [youth] educationally and economically.
Naa Abass Salifu said the time had come for the youth to get themselves educated and stop relying on politicians for handouts.
He charged them to thoroughly assess all the politicians and reject the unscrupulous ones who do not preach about peace, unity and development of the people.
He was however full of praise for the way and manner the ruling Government led by Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Committee of Eminent Chiefs led by the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II had handled the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute, and the successful manner the funerals of the late Ya-Nas were performed.
According to him, the people of Dagbon owed the Government a great deal of gratitude for restoring the dignity and pride of the people and for also crowning the peace celebration in Dagbon with the 62nd Independence Day celebration in Tamale.
Naa Abass Salifu on the other hand appealed to the President Nana Akufo-Addo to provide all the necessary resources and commitment for the accelerated development of Dagbon.
He called for more educational, health, water, electricity and road infrastructure in the area to enable Dagbon catch up with the rest of the country.
 
Source: WatchGhana.Com/Edmond Gyebi
, December 11, 2019