Artisans on temporary Ya-Na's Palace issued with I.D. cards

Yendi (N/R), Jan. 3, GNA - Some 77 traditional artisans including women were on Saturday issued with identity cards to start constructional works on the temporary Ya-Na's Palace at Yendi

The construction of the palace, for which the sod was cut in September last year, was halted when a group of people in Yendi refilled the foundation.

The 30-room palace would accommodate the 26 widows and other relatives of the late Ya-Na.

It would also serve to promote the reconciliation process between the Andanis and Abudus, which would pave the way for the burial of the Ya-Na, Yakubu Andani who was killed on March 27, 2002 in a communal violence at Yendi.

Mr Ernest Debrah, Northern Regional Minister who presented the identity cards to the artisans at a short ceremony with the Kuga-Na, Braimah Abdulai, the senior kingmaker of the Dagbon skin, urged the people to make the second attempt at constructing the palace a successful one.

"Let our frustrations give way to greater hope in the assurance that this bold attempt will yield the desired results," he said adding:

"I can read determination in everybody's eyes and I therefore have the conviction that this time round, our common objective and expectation will be met sooner than later."

The Regional Minister reminded the people that, "When the Ya-Na was alive he was a king and overlord of the entire Dagbon Kingdom and not of a gate or a section therefore he should be recognized as such." He appealed to them "to push your ambitions and sympathies to the background and come together to bury the mortal remains of our king and overlord."

Mr Debrah asked everyone who had a role to play in bringing peace to Dagbon to help in the successful completion of the palace. They could do this by controlling themselves and their supporters to allow the builders the freedom and the peace they would need to accomplish the job assigned them.

He urged the people to channel their complaints to the committee responsible for overseeing the construction of the palace for redress and not to take the law into their own hands.

Mr Debrah commended the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu and his Committee of Eminent Chiefs for the able manner they had worked culminating in the construction of the palace.

He also commended leaders of the two gates for their positive attitude before and during the negotiations at the Manhia Palace towards the resumption of work on the palace.

Kuga-Na Abdulai prayed that the palace would be successfully constructed to help bring unity to the Dagbon.

Tunlana Mahammadu Michael, the Registrar of the Dagbon Traditional Council said both gates had agreed that the palace be constructed and expressed the hope that it would be completed within the one month period.