The Regent of Dagbon Kampakuya Naa, Naa Abdulai Yakubu Andani, has pledged his commitment to ensuring total peace in Dagbon to pave way for development.

He said it was only when there was peace that the area would be opened to development.

The Kampakuya Naa said this when he granted audience to members of the Women in Peace Building Movement and the West African Network for Peace Building (WANEP)  at his palace to celebrate the International Women’s Day on March 8.

The meeting was also to thank the chief and his elders for the critical role they played in ensuring a peaceful celebration of the Damba Festival.

The Women in Peace Building Movement established in 2003 has championed the advocacy for peace in Dagbon since the outbreak of conflict in the area in 2003.

They are being supported by WANEP-Ghana with funding from STAR-GHANA

Naa Abdulai Yakubu said the peaceful celebration of the Damba festival by the two gates in Dagbon is the first step to building Dagbon.

“Dagbon will not remain in this state. We need to move Dagbon to a very high level so that the people can enjoy peace”, he said.

He called on stateholders to help build Dagbon on a foundation of peace and development.

 “This is the move that some of us have made and we believe that, that is the only move that can bring peace”, he reiterated.

The women’s group also visited the Bolin Lana at his Palace. The Bolin Lana Abdulai Mahamadu commended the women for the initiative and pleaded with them to continue preaching peace.

He said the world’s attention was on Dagbon to see the outcome of the Damba celebration but the celebration went through peaceful  “and we did that because we want peace, Damba is a joyful celebration like most celebrations that is why we took part and we have given everything to God to lead the process”.

The women also visited the Gundo Naa, Napaga Samata, who appealed to the eminent chiefs resolving the Dagbon conflict to speed up the process so that the area can enjoy permanent peace.

She said there was the need for the two gates to perform the final funeral rites of the two late chiefs to pave way for total peace.

She called for the involvement of more women in the peace process.

At the Kpatuu Naa’s palace she called for more recognition of female chiefs and queen mothers in the various regional houses of chiefs and the national house of chief.

She said government should pay equal attention to the women like their male counter parts chiefs.

The Kpatuu Naa also appealed for potable water for her people.

 Women in her traditional area appealed for support in income generating activities. They said though they were aware of the harm that felling of trees for sale has on the environment  they were unable to stop the practice because it was their only source of livelihood.