Mahama Calls Chieftaincy and Ethnic Conflicts a Major Headache
President John Mahama has voiced serious concerns over the increasing number of chieftaincy, ethnic, and land-related conflicts nationwide, describing the situation as a “major headache” for his administration.
The President made these remarks during a meeting with the National Peace Council at the Jubilee House on Wednesday, December 10.
According to President Mahama, the surge in these disputes is significantly burdening national security agencies, which are currently maintaining long-term deployments in several areas prone to violence.
He attributed the escalating tensions to long-standing disagreements concerning chieftaincy successions, ethnic divisions, and land ownership.
“All of us are concerned about the proliferation of conflicts across our country. There’s a rising intolerance, and it’s as a result of disagreements, first and foremost, to do with chieftaincy. It is putting a lot of pressure on our security services,” he cautioned.
The President highlighted the extensive security presence needed to manage the conflicts, citing deployments in regions like Sampa, Bawku, Nkwanta, and Savannah. “A lot of our security services are tied down in conflict areas. Sampa, we have a whole contingent there. If you go to Bawku and Nkwanta, we have a whole contingent there. Recently, Savannah, we had a whole contingent there; we have not withdrawn them yet. And yet, there are so many of these all over the country,” he explained.
President Mahama warned that the frequency and spread of these disputes now threaten national stability, emphasizing that the government cannot resolve the issue independently.
“It has to do with ethnic and land disputes. It’s become a major headache for the government,” he added.
He appealed to the National Peace Council to intensify its mediation and conflict-resolution efforts to restore peace in the affected communities. “That is why we need to resort to the Peace Council to be able to carry out its mandate,” he stated.
Image Source: MYJOYONLINE
