The King and Overlord of the Gonja Kingdom and President of the Savannah Regional House of Chiefs, His Royal Majesty Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, has called for unity, peace and collective action towards the accelerated development of Gonjaland and the Savannah Region.
The Yagbonwura urged Ghanaians not to allow political, religious or other differences to undermine the relationships that have bound communities together over generations.
The call was contained in a speech delivered on his behalf by the Kilankichawura, Seidu Bakari, who is also the spokesperson to the Yagbonwura, at the grand durbar marking the climax of the 2026 Yagbon Grand Damba Festival held at the Jakpa Palace in Damongo on Sunday, August 30, 2026.
The grand durbar brought together chiefs and queen mothers, government officials, Members of Parliament, Municipal and District Chief Executives, religious leaders, members of the security services and people from across Gonjaland and beyond.
The Chief of Staff to the President, Hon. Dr. Julius Debrah, represented President John Dramani Mahama as the Special Guest of Honour, while the Governor of the Bank of Ghana, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, chaired the occasion.
Speaking on the theme, “Celebrating Our Heritage: The Role of Traditional Leadership in Promoting Unity and Development,” the Yagbonwura said the Damba Festival was more than an occasion for drumming, dancing and celebration.
According to him, the festival provides an opportunity for the Gonja people to reflect on their history, culture, religion and the values that have sustained their communities for generations.
He said culture remained central to the identity of the people and called on traditional leaders to continue preserving the heritage of their communities while actively contributing to their development.
The Yagbonwura stressed that chiefs were not only custodians of culture and tradition but also important partners in the development process.
He therefore called for stronger collaboration among traditional authorities, government, development partners, the private sector, civil society organisations, religious leaders and citizens to address the development needs of Gonjaland and the Savannah Region.
On national unity, the Yagbonwura cautioned against allowing political differences to divide the people.
“We may support different political parties, but we must remember that politics should not destroy our relationships. After elections, we remain brothers and sisters,” he said.
He called on the people to continue using dialogue, consultation and traditional methods of conflict resolution to settle disputes and maintain the peace required for sustainable development.
The Yagbonwura acknowledged efforts by the government in addressing the country’s economic and social challenges.
He commended initiatives including the 24-Hour Economy, the Big Push infrastructure programme, Adwumawura and the Free Primary Health Care Programme, as well as measures aimed at stabilising the cedi and transforming the agricultural sector.
According to him, these policies have the potential to create jobs and expand opportunities, particularly for young people, if effectively implemented and properly monitored.
The Overlord also commended efforts to develop the Savannah Region but appealed to the government to expedite work on ongoing projects to ensure their timely completion.
He assured the government of the readiness of traditional authorities to partner with state institutions and development partners to bring meaningful development to the people.
The Yagbonwura described education as one of the greatest investments that could be made in the future of the Savannah Region.
He expressed concern about challenges affecting educational outcomes in the Region and called for a collective effort involving government, chiefs, parents, teachers and other stakeholders.
According to him, government alone could not address the challenges, stressing that chiefs must continue to support schools in their traditional areas while parents must encourage their children to remain in school.
He also called for support and recognition for young people who excel academically.
It was in this spirit, he said, that the Bii-Kunuto Educational Fund was established to provide scholarships and educational support to brilliant but needy students.
The Yagbonwura announced that the Fund had fully settled outstanding tuition fees amounting to US$20,000 for Kassim Bakari, a young Gonja student undertaking Commercial Pilot Licence training at Paramount Aviation School in Johannesburg, South Africa.
According to the speech, Kassim had reached the final stage of his training but was withdrawn from the programme due to outstanding fees.
With the intervention of the Fund, he is now expected to resume and complete his training and could become the first commercial pilot from Gonjaland upon successful completion of the programme.
The Yagbonwura appealed to individuals, organisations, institutions and development partners to support the Fund to enable more brilliant but needy students across Gonjaland to pursue their educational and professional aspirations.
The Chief of Staff, Hon. Dr. Julius Debrah, who attended the durbar as the Special Guest of Honour, also called on Ghanaians to protect the country’s unity despite their political differences.
He said he was representing President John Dramani Mahama, who had personally asked him to attend the festival but was unable to do so because official duties had taken him outside the country.
Dr. Debrah commended the Yagbonwura and the people of Gonjaland for preserving their traditions and cultural heritage over the centuries.
He said the Gonja Kingdom represented important values of identity, dignity and unity that Ghana must continue to uphold.
“Unity does not mean silence, and accountability does not require hostility. A mature democracy can accommodate both,” he said.
The Chief of Staff added that Ghanaians must continue to question their leaders and demand accountability but should never turn fellow citizens into enemies because of political affiliations.
“Before our party colours, we were one people, and after elections, we must remain one nation,” he stated.
Dr. Debrah further described public service as a responsibility to serve the people and pledged to remain accessible to Ghanaians.
He also announced a personal contribution of GH¢200,000 towards the Bii-Kunuto Educational Fund.
According to him, he could not call on others to support the initiative without making his own contribution.
He pledged to continue supporting the Fund to help create educational and professional opportunities for young people from Gonjaland.
The Chief of Staff also turned attention to the water challenges facing Damongo, stressing the need to ensure the completion of the Damongo water supply project.
Dr. Debrah said work on the Damongo water supply project was underway and stressed that the project must be delivered.
“The seat of a great Kingdom should not continue to struggle with access to water,” he said.
He further called for the peaceful resolution of land and other disputes, noting that unresolved conflicts could delay development, discourage investment and negatively affect families and communities.
Earlier, the Governor of the Bank of Ghana and Chairman of the durbar, Dr. Johnson Pandit Asiama, highlighted the economic and social importance of traditional festivals.
He said festivals were not only occasions for celebration but also important platforms for promoting unity, preserving culture and strengthening social cohesion.
Dr. Asiama said the Bank of Ghana was proud to associate itself with the Yagbon Grand Damba Festival and highlighted the central bank’s efforts to maintain price stability and promote financial inclusion.
He noted that inflation had declined from around 24 percent to about 4.6 percent as of the previous month.
The Governor also said lending rates, which were around 27 to 28 percent, were trending at an average of between 15 and 16 percent, with efforts underway to further reduce the cost of borrowing.
Dr. Asiama expressed concern about the limited number of bank branches in the Savannah Region, noting that the Region had no more than seven bank branches.
He disclosed that approval had been given for the establishment of three new branches of the National Investment Bank in the Savannah Region to improve financial inclusion and bring banking services closer to the people.
The Yagbonwura also used the occasion to express concern about drug and substance abuse among some young people in the Savannah Region.
He warned that drug abuse could destroy the health, education, families and future of young people and could also contribute to crime and violence in communities.
He urged the youth to reject peer pressure and instead embrace education, skills training, entrepreneurship, agriculture, sports and other productive ventures.
He called on parents, chiefs, religious leaders, teachers, security agencies and relevant government institutions to work together to address the challenge.
The Yagbonwura stressed that young people needed opportunities, guidance and hope and called for an environment that would enable them to acquire skills, find employment and establish businesses.
The 2026 Yagbon Grand Damba Festival therefore ended with renewed calls for unity, peace, investment in education and accelerated development across Gonjaland and the Savannah Region.
