The Paramount Chief of Mamprugu traditional area and president of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, Nayiri Naa Bohagu Mahami Shirega has scheduled a meeting with all the warring factions in the protracted Bunkpurigu chieftancy conflict.
The meeting whose date is yet to be set will make both Jafouk and Jamong families sign an undertaking that they will no longer engage in violence.
The Nayiri’s decision follows his recent meeting with both families who assured him that there won’t be any violence. But the combatants reneged on their promise as soon as they left the palace; they clashed and 13 houses were set ablaze. The Nayiri was not in the least impressed by the sudden flare up in violence, thus the scheduled meeting to call for peace.
The Regional Security Council (REGSEC) was instrumental in calling for the meeting. According to the Nayiri, both factions asked him to ‘put his hands on Bunkpurigu’, hence his decision to make them sign the undertaking.
The Jafouk and the Jamong families, the Nayiri said, were made to understand that should any fight or burning of houses erupt again seven individuals from each side will be arrested to force them to produce the culprits who have been firing ‘mysterious’shots in the area.
Naa Mahami Shirega disclosed this when the Northern Regional Minister Mr Abdalla Abubakar led members of the regional security council on a visit to the palace to introduce himself as the new regional minister.
Among the delegation were deputy high commissioner to Saudi Arabia-Hajia Boya Gariba, deputy northern regional minister-Alhaji A.B.A Fuseini and northern regional chairman of the governing National Democratic Congress, Chief Sofo Azoka.
The Nayiri reminded the regional minister about the difficult nature of the region and wished him and his administration well. He called for cool heads to prevail in all conflict areas in the region in the interest of peace, tranquility and development of the deprived region.
The king also urged all political parties in the country to conduct themselves well before, during and after this year’s general elections. Mr. Abubakar commended Nayiri for his effort to bring to an end to seemingly protracted violence and the burning of houses and killing of innocent people in Bunkpurigu.
Mr. Abubakar assured the Nayiri that, the REGSEC will give its full support to his cause in ensuring lasting peace in the area.
The minister observed that all over the world there has never development in an atmosphere of conflict and that continued fighting in the region could scare away potential investors.