Some Mamprusi youth in Bawku, Upper East Region, have vowed to stay away from the inter-ethnic peace negotiations unless they are allowed to celebrate the Damba festival.

The Bawku inter-ethnic peace committee was initiated by government to bring lasting peace after years of ethnic conflict in the area, but was later boycotted by the Mamprusi ethnic group.

At a press conference in Bawku yesterday, the Mamprusi youth said their Kusasi counterparts were allowed to celebrate the Samanpiid festival, therefore, they would only return to the negotiating table if they are allowed to celebrate their own festival.

Abukar Sadik Gumah who addressed the press conference said: “If two of your children are entangled in a conflict and you permit one of them to observe his festival and denied the other from observing his, how can you get them to sit together and dialogue for peace?”

He is therefore demanding equal treatment to all the groups which he believes is key in restoring peace to the Bawku municipality

“The only move we should pursue to be able to restore peace in Bawku is for the government to give equal treatment and recognition to both factions.”