Rejoinder:  Enforce High Court Judgment To Change District Name – Lambussie Youth Petition Government 

The youth and people of Karni Area have read with grave worry media report purported to have been issued by the youth of Lambussie calling on government to change the name of the District (which they described as illegal identity). The joint name- “Lambussie-Karni” has existed since the inauguration of the district, without any dissatisfaction until some individuals and chiefs of Lambussie decided to sow a seed of discord, with the intension to break the unity and to destabilize the peace, distract and distort development of the district.

Historically, there existed Jirapa/Lambussie Constituency under the then Lawra District Assembly, reflecting the two distinctive Traditional Areas - Jirapa and Lambussie (distinct both in language and culture). In 1988, the Jirapa/Lambussie District Ass embly was created out of the Lawra District with Jirapa as capital.

As a result of peaceful co-existence between the two Traditional Areas, another constituency called the “Lambussie” constituency was created in 1992 with part of the Karni Division Area which belongs to the Jirapa Traditional Council annexed to Lambussie to enable them qualify for the constituency. In 2007, however, when government was creating new districts, the Lambussie constituency was considered, and the people of Karni Area council protested joining the new district.

However, the Lambussie Kuoro sent a delegation to Karni Naa to appeal to him and his people to accept to join so that the area qualifies for a district. Karni Area then requested for the joint name for the district to continue to reflect the distinctive two traditional areas which have politically co-existed peacefully for a long time. This request was granted and the district was inaugurated as such.

It is therefore, disheartening that having come this far together, some individuals and chiefs under the guise of a legislative lapse and court ruling are embarking on a mission purposely to marginalize and neglect the Karni Area and its contribution to the creation of the district. We therefore, note with much regret and worry that, notwithstanding this good and long historical bond that existed between the two communities, certain individuals and chiefs from the Lambussie Area are deliberately engaging in sectionalist tendencies which potentially will cause dissatisfaction, political instability, and ethnic strife in the area. If these people were concerned about the integral role of the area in qualifying for a District, why are they not calling for legislative amendment? It is shocking that these people are referring to the joint name “Lambussie-Karni” as illegal identity of the District, and we take a strong reservation for that. We call for a retraction of the said publication and an apology for undermining the people of Karni Area.

While thanking government for granting the request for the joint name, we call on government to maintain the existing name by amending the relevant legislations and bringing the entire Karni Area Council under the district. The people of the Karni Area Council have suffered a lot of setbacks in terms of development and divided families and houses, because of the division of the Area Council between two Districts. If the Joint name cannot stay, as it is now being contested by some people, we appeal to government to re-align the Area Council to the Jirapa District for peace to prevail, because we will resist any attempt to remove our name from the name of the District while still under the District.

The people of Lambussie have enjoyed a similar privilege for decades with the Jirapa Traditional area under the Jirapa/Lambussie constituency and later Jirapa/Lambussie District. It is interesting some individuals and chiefs have suddenly realized that what is good for the goose is not good for the gander. Is the request for a name change not a ploy to further entrench the skewed development in favor of Lambussie area and attempts severally to use Sisalla language at various fora and durbars including the day of the launch of the Lambussie-Karni district at Lambussie? One of the major issues raised by the petitioners is about ownership of the district. Does Karni area actually belong to this district? If yes, how do we own the district as well as Lambussie people?

It has always been tradition in the naming of districts ( for example,Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo in the Northern region and Ningo-Prampram in Greater Accra Region) and institutions to recognize the historical distinctiveness of the people coming together in order to give a sense of belonging, ownership and maintain cultural identity. How would a district for two linguistically and culturally different people achieve the above by alienating one or the other without a sense of dominion from the victor and that of captives from the vanquished?

The district has been inaugurated and operated as the Lambusies-Karni district. Will it not be prudent and cost effective for an amendment of the LI creating it than changing the name that has been institutionalized for years? This cost saving would be an added benefit to the district, people of the area and nation by maintaining the peace and cohesion that already exist. One may ask what exactly the petitioners are trying to fix when indeed, nothing is broken?

There is already an uneasy calm in the Karni area with the division of farms, families and the community as whole in between two districts. The petitioners’ move has worsened the belief of insecurity of the Karni traditional area because of central government’s action and inaction in this respect. To date it is a very difficult task to draw that artificial boundary between the Jirapa district and the Lambussie-Karni district. Fortunately things are calm because families and communities view that their brethren have been identified with an entity called the Lambussie-Karni district. When this bond is broken there would begin to be agitation and strife for real boundaries in these families and communities.

CONCLUSION
We;
1. Call on the Minister for Local Government to initiate, immediately, the necessary legislative amendment to maintain the current name of the district (vis Lambussie-Karni)

2. Call for a retraction of said publication by the petitioners because it is bad faith and a breach of trust.

3. Appeal to the Minister to, in the process of any legislative amendment; realign the WHOLE traditional council to belong to one district.

4. If the Joint name cannot stay, as it is now being contested by some people, we appeal to government to re-align the Area Council to the Jirapa District for peace to prevail.

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YOUTH SECRETARY
(DOOZUOH D ALEXIS)