By William Yaw Owusu
Tuesday March 23, 2010
A workshop aimed at involving women towards conflict prevention in Dagbon and other parts of the Northern Region has ended in Yendi with a call on all stakeholders to encourage women in peace building mechanisms.
It was organized by the Tamale Ecclesiastical Province Pastoral Council (TEPPCON), with sponsorship from the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), and under the theme, “Conflict prevention in the northern regions: Role of women.”
Opening the workshop, which was attended by about 50 participants from various women groups and other civil society organizations, Walvis Hudu, Yendi Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), said the only way to end the cycle of violence and impunity is to ensure that all those involved in such acts are dealt with by the law irrespective of their status, ethnic or political association.
He said as a result of conflicts in Dagbon and other areas of the region, many essential service providers such as doctors, nurses and teachers, among others, continue to seek transfers out of the area while others refuse postings to the area.
“Equally, investors and development partners are not attracted to invest in conflict-prone areas and this is drawing back the clock of progress and stifling economic growth and business activities which should have ended the endemic poverty in the area,” he added.
He said the government was working hard to develop the area, citing the creation of mass youth employment through the youth in agriculture programme and the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority as some of the interventions.
The MCE commended TEPPCON, KAS and other development organizations for their persistent efforts towards the development of the area, adding, “It is heartwarming for women to play a leading role in the promotion of peace and development in Dagbon.”
Isaac Owusu-Mensah, Senior Programmes Manager of KAS said, “We are focusing on women for peacebuilding because principally women have considerably contributed to the fight against conflicts, and the perpetrators are their husbands, children, uncles and brothers.”
He said conflict prevention should not be the sole responsibility of the government, saying that “it is time for all persons to actively get involved through their minimal contributions towards peace and development.”
He promised KAS’ continuous support to complement the government’s agenda of raising the standard of living of the people.
Agnes Gandaa, TEPPCON Partnership Coordinator, urged the authorities in the northern regions to tackle the increasing threat posed by Fulani herdsmen, noting that “they are now found everywhere in the three regions and are causing all sorts of troubles.”
Most Reverend Philip Naameh, Bishop of Yendi Catholic Church, who chaired the workshop, appealed to the people to strive for peace and unity to enhance accelerated development of the area.
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