Concerned Dagbon women petition Otumfuo

Accra, April 6, GNA - A group calling itself the Concerned Women of Dagbon have appealed to the Kuga Na and Otumfuo Osei Tutu, the Asantehene to come to the aid of over 1,500 women whose marriages were "unilaterally" terminated by their husbands as a result of the events that led to the death of the late Ya Na Yakubu Anadani II in March 25, 2002 at Yendi.

In a statement issued in Accra the group said the termination of marriages of about 300 women across southern Ghana and over 1200 in the rest of Dagbon had resulted in "negative social and economic hardship" imposed on the women and their children.

It said the upkeep of their children was entirely the problem of these women who are largely illiterate and without skills or training. The statement said that even though the Asantehene, the Na Yiri, Yogbun Wura, the Catholic Church and several Non-governmental organizations had made efforts to help the women, their plight still remained the same.

The women have pledged to mobilize 30 million cedis to compliment efforts being made by the Asantehene and to also help the Kuga Na to cater for the widows of the late Ya Na Yakubu Andani II as from next month as well as reconstruct Gbazalin Duu-Inner palace of the senior wife of the late Ya Na.

They also promised to raise 20 million cedis to help other women whose husbands have refused to reunite with them to engage in income generating activities to cater for themselves and their children. The women noted that even the widows of the late Ya Na were "cramped and confined" in an eight-roomed compound house in Tamale. Apart from the financial support the women said they would offer communal labour and catering services for the workers.

The statement to the Otumfuo and the Kuga Na was copied to the President, the Northern Regional Minister, the Northern Regional House of Chiefs and the Yendi district Chief Executive, the Yogbun Wura and the Na Yiri.