BEATING OF WAR DRUMS BY NAWURIS & NCHUMURUS OVER CREATION OF SAVANNA REGION

The youth of Kokomba in the Kpandai District of Northern Region has cautioned the Nawuris and
Nchumurus against beating war drums that have the tendency of distempering the peace of the area.
In a statement signed by the Vice Chairman of the Kokomba committee of Kpandai and copied to Ghanaweb's Northern Regional Correspondent,Ananpansah B Abraham,the youth described as regrettable attempts by what they call
"dishonest pedestrians" to destabilize the peace they brokered with Gonjas after the 1991 conflict.
Whilst maintaining that they(Kokombas) constitute
70% of the population in Kpandai,they expressed their strong desire to be part of the proposed Savannah Region.
"It is an undeniable fact that,they Konkonbas constitute about Seventy percent(70%) of the population in Kpandai....The desire of the
Konkonba Community in Kpandai to be part of the proposed Savannah Region was demonstrated during the Commission's public hearing...
We as Konkombas in Kpandai wish to place on record that, we smoked a peace pipe with Gonjas
after the 1991 conflicts and wish to stand by the peace process as we and the Gonjas continue to
interact in a peaceful, civil and a respectable manner as brothers and cousins for the development of Kpandai.
The beating of war drums now by the Nawuris and the Nchumurus in which they seek for alliances is
regrettable because we the Konkombas in Kpandai see the Gonjas as our allies and intend to remain so,"the statement said.
The concerns of the Kokomba youth come on the backdrop of an earlier statement released by the
Nawuris and Nchumurus of Kpandai where they declared war at any least attempt to include Kpandai District in the proposed Savannah Region.
In the said statement,they expressed readiness to fight for their tiny lands and oppose any attempt by
the Gonjas to usurp their tiny God-given lands with the last drop of their blood as they did in 1991 and 1992 during the Nawuri-Nchurumu-Kokomba-Gonja conflict, adding that any attempt to include Kpandai
District in the proposed Savannah Region instead of the proposed Oti region will be tantamount to
declaring war between the Nawuris and Nchumurus on one hand and the Gonjas on the other hand.
President Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo made a promise during the 2016 electioneering campaign
to create new regions to enhance administrative efficiency.In fulfilling the promise upon assuming
office as president,he set up a Commission of inquiry under the chairmanship of Justice Brobbey
to look into and establish the need and substantial demand for the creation of new regions.
The Commission completed its work and submitted a report to the president recommending the creation
of six (6) new administrative regions in Ghana. The commission recommended that two regions should
be created out of the current Brong Ahafo region to have Ahafo and Brong East, two out of the current
Northern Region, to have North East and Savannah.
The youth of Gonjaland(G.L.Y.A) who are advocating for the creation of Savannah Region however,resistant any attempt to create a Savannah
Region without Kpandai District, adding that they can accommodate a Savannah region with Kpandai District otherwise they prefer to remain where they
are.
They are proposing the creation of a Savannah Region with the following Districts in order to preserve the territorial integrity and dignity of the
Gonja Kingdom:Sawla-Tuna-Kalba,Bole, West Gonja,Central Gonja,North Gonja,East Gonja and
Kpandai.

Source:Ananpansah B Abraham