Mr Salifu Sa-eed, a former Northern Regional Minister has called for restraint between Dagomba and Konkomba youth amid escalating tensions. Mr Sa-eed, who is also a former Chairman of the Regional Security Council, expressing concern over the recent incendiary pronouncements by some individuals, emphasized the need for all parties involved to exercise utmost restraint and work towards peaceful coexistence. This was in a statement copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Tuesday. The Former Regional Minister expressed worry over the potential of discord between these two communities that could be exacerbated by certain inflammatory comments on social media and television, which had only served to divide. The statement said what were once platforms for connection and understanding had now become channels for spreading hatred and sowing division. The former Minister, the statement said implored members of the Dagomba and Konkonba communities to be mindful of their words and actions, refraining from making statements that could incite violence. 'Mr Salifu Sa-eed called on the leaders of both communities to exhibit true leadership by urging their tribesmen to abstain from actions that may jeopardize the hard-earned peace the region had enjoyed for years, emphasizing that it is the collective responsibility of all to promote peace, harmony, and reconciliation, preserving the longstanding history of coexistence and neighbourliness that the region has proudly upheld.' The statement said Journalism also played a vital role in shaping public opinion, and it was crucial for media outlets to act ethically and responsibly and urged journalists to adopt a conflict-sensitive approach in their reportage, avoiding sensationalism and bias that could further escalate tensions. Responsible journalism, he asserted, should foster dialogue, understanding, and unity among diverse communities. On the strength found in unity, Mr Sa-eed underscored the generations-long coexistence, shared values, traditions, and aspirations of the Dagomba and Konkonba communities and advised that upon this shared heritage, the path to peaceful coexistence must be built, reaffirming the commitment to harmony. The former minister according to the statement urged community leaders, religious organizations, civil society groups, and individuals of goodwill to actively engage in dialogue and mediation to bridge the divide between the two ethnic groups. 'Through open and honest conversations that seek to understand differing perspectives, wounds can be healed, and peace can be consolidated'

Source: Ghana News Agency