Paramount Chief of the Buipe Traditional Area and Vice President of the National House of Chiefs, Buipewura Jinapor II, has urged residents of Gonjaland and the Savannah Region to uphold peace, embrace education and combat the rising menace of drug abuse among the youth.
He said these pillars are essential for sustainable development and unity in the region.
Speaking at the Grand Durbar of the 17th Annual Buipe Damba Festival on September 24, the Paramount Chief stressed that peace remains the foundation for balanced development and “a prerequisite for unity in diversity.”
He called on residents to reject conflict and emulate the wisdom of their forebears “who divided kingdoms not in strife but in shared purpose.”
The Chief also highlighted the importance of education as a tool to transform lives and communities, saying Savannah can only be described as a beacon of development if education is embraced in all its diversity.
The Paramount Chief also emphasized peace as the foundation for progress, urging residents to reject conflict and emulate the wisdom of their forebears “who divided the kingdom not in strife, but in shared purpose.” Without peace, he warned, “we have nothing to boast of.”
He also sounded the alarm on drug abuse among the youth, citing the widespread use of Tramadol, Red 225, shisha and other substances. He called on lawmakers and security agencies to enforce narcotics laws to curb the crisis. “If we lose our youth to drugs, we lose our future,” he said.
For her part, the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu Adjare, reaffirmed government’s commitment to industrialization and value addition in the Savannah Region. She announced plans to establish agricultural processing plants, modern storage facilities, and upgrade the Buipe Market into a daily trading center.
She also pledged support for the Buipe Shea Nut Factory under the government’s 24-hour economy initiative.
The Chairman of the Festival Planning Committee, Tamale Dakpema Fuseini Bawa, also added his voice in the call on traditional leaders, government institutions and civil society to step up efforts to resolve land disputes and address youth drug abuse, emphasizing that “peaceful coexistence is the surest path to sustainable development.”
This year’s Buipe Damba Festival attracted thousands of residents, dignitaries and guests from across the region, serving as a platform to celebrate culture, unity and renewed commitment to social and economic progress.
