Ya Naa Abukari II, the overlord of Dagbon, has established an 11-member development committee to promote the interests of the Dagbon kingdom.
The committee has been tasked with responsibility for identifying key development projects and ensuring they come to fruition.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Nana Yaa Mensah for Asaase Radio’s Sunday Night (the programme will be repeated tonight, Tuesday 13 July, starting at 8pm), the Dagbon overlord said one of the committee’s tasks will be to construct an ultra-modern Gbewaa Palace for the Dagbon court.
“… I brought both Abudus and Andanis together, and I have formed two committees, the Dagbon constitution review committee and the development committee. With regard to the construction of a befitting Gbewaa Palace, I have handed over that project to the development committee,” Ya Naa Abukari said.
He added: “… that committee is to take charge of all developmental issues in the kingdom of Dagbon. They will assist in lobbying for projects. They will also assist in ensuring that awarded projects are completed successfully.”
He appealed to the central government to step up its efforts to fix major development problems in Yendi, the capital of the traditional area, and its environs to ease the burden on local people’s daily lives, especially during the dry season.
Advice to young people
Meanwhile, the Ya Naa, believed to be in his eighties, has advised the youth to stay away from alcohol and hard drugs.
“I want everybody to employ patience in their day-to-day activities. Everybody should be guided with patience.
“With patience, there is nothing you cannot do in this world – but you should be guided with patience.”
Ya Naa Abukari II added: “Young people should desist from hard drugs. There is absolutely nothing anybody can gain from taking hard drugs.
“Hard drugs can destroy an individual completely. Hard drugs cannot help anybody in any way, but rather destroy lives.
“So the young people of Dagbon and Ghana should know that taking hard drugs will end them up in misery. [Drugs] will destroy their lives and there is nothing to gain from that.
“Young men should also desist from taking alcohol. Alcohol has nothing to offer anybody, but rather total destruction of life.”
He urged the government to assist community leaders to push back unemployment across the country, which he said will help reduce antisocial behaviour.
Job creation
“I appeal to the government to once again to create jobs to make access to jobs easy for the people of Ghana and Dagbon.
“With this, the young people will be so occupied and [so] avoid engaging in all manner of social vices.
“So the government must pay attention to unemployment and make sure the youth of the country are gainfully employed, to take them away from social vices,” the Ya Naa said, adding he is hopeful that Dagbon will witness more concerted infrastructure development in the near future.
Fred Dzakpata
Watch streaming of our “Sunday Night” interview on Asaase Radio’s Facebook and YouTube platforms. The programme will be repeated today (Tuesday 13 July), starting at 8pm.
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