Government, Factions Urged To End Conflicts In The North

The Savanna Development Policy Think-Thank, has expressed serious concern over the constant recurrence of violent conflicts in many parts of Northern Ghana and urged government and factions involved in various conflicts to find lasting solutions to them.

Persistent stereotyping of Northerners as violent people to others and to themselves, according to the think-thank is also responsible for the recurring nature of conflicts in the North. “The media plays a very critical role in national development and journalists ought to be very responsible when reporting on conflict especially issues that borders on the sensibilities of people”, Abu Kabiebata Kansangbata, acting Executive Director of the think-tank said.

In a statement to the media in Tamale, Mr. Kansangbata also condemned the violent characterisation in the past and in recent times, by exuberant political vigilantism that seeks to undermine established state institutions.

“Even as political vigilantism may be said to have assumed a major national character, the major theatres are in the North, and those that are carried out elsewhere in the country are also perpetuated by people of Northern extraction. This is a sad commentary on our existence as a people which need to be addressed if we should break the cycle of poverty which is the biggest challenge we face”, he observed.

Mr. Abu K. Kansangbata

Mr. Kansangbata cited food insecurity, high illiteracy rate, malnutrition, high morbidity rates and out-migration as the manifestation of poverty in Northern Ghana being perpetuated by recurring violent conflicts.

He also observed that the lack of development and poverty can be felt more in towns such as Bawku, Wa, Yendi, Bimbilla and other places because funds and other resources meant to address poverty issues are often channelled into peacekeeping by central government and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies.

Savanna Development Policy Think-Tank is a socio-economic, justice and advocacy organisation based in Tamale with objective to monitor and evaluate policies and programmes of governments in Northern Ghana and the Brong Ahafo Region.

The non-partisan think-tank also seeks to assess the contributions of state and non-state institutions involved in the development of Northern Ghana. 

Savanna Development Policy Think-Tank is run by a competent team of professionals with rich background in governance and policy, economics, journalism and communications as well as academia among others.