An eighty thousand Euros Yendi Peace Centre with financial support from friends of (YPC) in Freiburg, Germany which helped has been inaugurated at Yendi.
The centre comprises a large conference hall, four offices, a Kitchen, eight lavatories and can be used for events, conferences, seminars, and workshops.
The centre is a dedicated to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO) committed to fostering peace and community development in the northern region under the supervision and legal ownership of most Reverend (RV) Mattew Yitiereh second Bishop of Yendi.
It was established by the first Bishop of Yendi, Most Reverend Vincent Sowah Boi – Nai, SVD with the mission of promoting peace, understanding and collaboration in the communities under the purview of Yendi Catholic Diocese and beyond in 2007.
Father (Fr) Michael Cobb (PhD) Executive Director of the Yendi Peace Centre announced this when he delivered his welcome address during inauguration of the centre at Yendi in the Northern Region, Fr Cobb ( PhD) indicated that the centre focused on three core areas.
He said they included Peace Building, the promotion of good governance and human rights and migration and had as its mission promoting peace, understanding and collaboration in the communities of Northern Ghana and beyond.
He said leveraging the past experience of peace negotiations for both Konkombas and Dagombas, the Bishop facilitated the formation of the Dagbon peace initiative which was meant to spearhead and coordinate activities involving members of the Abudu and Andani families or gates in the chieftaincy parlance which serves as the family through which an individual can rise to become Ya-Na.
He said the committee organized activities including peace seminars, sensitization workshops, and peace advocacy programmes for members of Abudu and Andani families, Yanta groups, women groups, chiefs, and community leaders in Yendi.
According to the Rev. Fr. Cobb (PhD) said the activities were instrumental in bringing about reconciliation, the enskinment of a new Ya- Na Abukari II in 2019 and sustainable peace in Yendi.
Alhaji Shani Alhassan Shaibu the Northern Regional Minister said the centre was more than just a physical structure, as it symbolized the collective efforts, hopes and aspirations of the people of Yendi and the Northern region to build lasting peace, foster development and strengthen community ties.
He reminded them that – since its creation in 1999, following the violent conflict between the Konkomba, Nanumba and Dagomba ethnic groups, the Yendi peace centre had been at the forefront of peace mediation.
He said it was born from the ashes of conflict with the vision of promoting trust reconciliation and peaceful coexistence in the communities and recently during the disturbances in Zogbzue in Mion District the centre once again demonstrated its value by acting swiftly bringing together chiefs, security personnel and community leaders to de-escalate the situation.
He said their timely intervention prevented further violence and restored peace to the area and the centre had also been taking initiatives in addressing the pressing issue of climate change which threatened their livelihoods on the land for farming and herding.
He said the centre had been educating communities on sustainable environmental practice advocating climate resilience and empowering local farmers to adapt to changing climate to ensuring the long-term sustainability of the communities.
In official unveiling (inaugurating) and blessing of the centre Bishop Most – Rev. Vincent Sowah Boi- Nai Emeritus Bishop of Yendi assisted by the Kuga – Na Abdulai Adam II said peace could only be achieved through dialogue mediation and mutual respect.
Bishop Boi – Nai said without peace, there could not be justice and called on the members of the centre to organize more workshops in educating various communities on peace.
He reminded them that “you do me I do you” is not what the centre needs, it needs peaceful coexistence and prayed to God to bless the activities or the centre to sustain the peace in the area.
Dr. Kloke, Gynaecologist with financial support for the YPC in Freiburg Germany said he was happy for the hard work for the construction of the peace centre, explaining that it was in 2020 Fr. Cobb (PhD) pleaded for help to build a peace centre in Yendi and he agreed and a great plan was drawn and he provided the necessary money for the construction of the centre.
He said Catholic Church supported them with some other sponsors.
Alhaji Hammed Abubakar Yussif the Yendi Municipal Chief Executive commended the tireless effort of the partners, stakeholders who made the vision of the centre a reality and gave the assurance that it would provide a safe space for conflict resolution, mediation and empower the community for socio- economic development.
Dagomba Youth Association and Konkomba Youth Association, politicians, security chiefs among others called for sustainable peace in the area.
GNA