MP Seeks Sissala, Dagaaba Truce
THE MEMBER of Parliament for Sissala West, Haruna Bayirga, has called for peace between the Sissalas and the Dagaabas living in the Sissala West District of the Upper West Region.
Sissalas and Dagaabas living in Nimoro and Fielmua in the district have been at each other's throat for some time now over issues of land ownership.
The situation recently degenerated into a conflict, leading to the reported killing of a Sissala man.
In a statement issued to the media and copied to the Office of the President and the Minister for the Interior, Hon. Bayirga reminded the two feuding tribal groups that 'in the whole of Ghana, it is only the Sissalas and the Dagaabas who beat the xylophone of our forefathers. So culturally, God has put us together to co-exist in unity and peace'.
He wondered why such a group of people would rise up against each other.
The MP appealed to the people of Nimoro and Fielmua to eschew rancour and suspicion to ensure peace and unity in the Sissala West District.
He thanked the people of the two towns for their patience and tolerance since the tension ensued, pointing out that this contributed to some level of peace in the two areas.
Hon. Bayirga cautioned politicians not to politicize the disturbance since the issue at stake involved the lives and livelihood of people, particularly women and children who were mostly affected in such situations.
'I wish to take this opportunity to passionately appeal to the youth of the areas to exercise patience and also avoid confrontation and provocative utterances that have the propensity to breach the peace of the areas while we wait for government to find a lasting solution to the matter', Hon. Bayirga pleaded.
He urged religious bodies to pray for unity and peace of the affected areas.
The MP called on government to commit funds and resources to resolve the issue, emphasizing it was a brotherly misunderstanding that could easily be resolved if needed attention was attached to it.
By Awudu Mahama