The District Chief Executives for Bunkpurgu -Nakpanduri and Yunyoo Nasua Districts of the North East Region have expressed worry over how land and chieftaincy disputes are draining the coffers of the respective assemblies.
They disclose several thousands of Ghana cedis from the allocation of District Assembly Common Fund which would have been used for development was wasted on resolving land disputes.
The entire Bunkpurgu, Nakpanduri and Yunyoo areas have been battling land and chieftaincy disputes since the late 80’s
It has become an annual canker that resurfaces at the beginning of every farming season as the farmers tend to fight over available lands for their farming activities.
Several lives have been lost with many others rendered homeless.
Speaking at the Launch of ASERD-GHANA project on preventing violence and enhancing security of border areas in the North East Region, the DCEs for both districts revealed, they spend a chunk of the District Assembly Common Fund allocation on conflict resolution.
“Chieftaincy and land disputes in particular have constituted serious security threats and a major drain on the meagre resources of the district assembly.
“In the Bunkpurgu-Nakpandiri District and for the first quarter, over GH₵40,000.00 has been spent on protracted and potentially explosive chieftaincy and land conflicts,” DCE for Bunkpurgu-Nakpandiri, Joseph Louknaan revealed.
For his part, DCE for Yunyo-Nasuan, Konlan Bitian, said the District has spent more than the stated amount by the Bunkpurgu-Nakpandiri DCE.
“We have spent over the GH₵40,000.00 you have mentioned. I can’t get the accurate figure now but is way more than the 40,000 and everything was wasted on conflict,” he expressed.
He added “we are a poor district and would have used this money for better development.”
But how dire is the situation and to what extent can it affect the development of the area?
Executive Director for ASERD-GHANA, Benjamin Dimongso Kafari, was alarmed by the high incidence of intra conflict in the two districts and the quantum of money spent resolving them at the expense of development.
He is optimistic the ASERD-GHANA project will enhance security in the area by providing education and advocacy.
“I was shocked hearing the figures mentioned by the two DCEs on conflict but it’s never too late, we can correct those wrongs through the ASERD-GHANA project by providing education and advocacy to enhance the needed development of the area,” he said.
The ASERD-GHANA project is a ten month peace and security project supported by COGINTA and funded by the European Union (EU).
By Christopher Amoako|NE/R|Onuaonline.com
