Naaba Henry Abawine Amenga-Etego II, the Divisional Chief of Kandiga community in the Kassena-Nankana West District, has held a grand durbar to celebrate 50 years as a chief of the area amidst praises of selfless leadership and community development.
In an atmosphere of colourful display of singing, drumming, dancing and cultural performances, the chiefs and people of the area marked the occasion with sacrifices and praises to God and their ancestors for preserving the chief for over 50 years.
Cultural troops, chiefs, political figures and people from all walks of life graced the occasion with many lauding the efforts of Naaba Amenga-Etego II for restoring peace between the Kandiga and Doba communities, who had engaged in land dispute over the years and for championing inclusive community.
It was held on the theme: “50 years of charismatic and selfless leadership: consolidating our unity for holistic development.”
Born on July 5, 1954, Naaba Henry Abawine Amenga-Etego II was enskinned chief of the area after the death of his father Naaba Akaguri Paul Amenga-Etego I, in 1972 and was subsequently gazetted as a chief in 1973 in accordance with the Chieftaincy Act, Act 81, 1961.
The Kandiga Skin is under the Mirigu Traditional Area and was started in 1906 when Naaba Aboyinga Anonkaabe was enskinned as the first chief of the area after the restoration of peace and stability after years of conflict.
Pe Ditundini Adiana Ayagitam III, President of the Upper East Regional House Chiefs, who was the guest of honour, congratulated and lauded Naaba Amenga-Etego II for dedicated service to the development of the community, particular in his resolving the land dispute between the community and Doba.
He explained that peace was the engine on which all development thrived and all stakeholders in the area needed to work together to consolidate the peace currently being enjoyed and inculcate the spirit of communal labour to develop the community.
On his part, Naaba Amenga-Etego II commended his people for contributing in diverse ways towards the development of the community over the years, which had impacted positively on the lives of everyone in the areas of peace and security, education, health, socioeconomic development and eradication of harmful cultural practices.
“From a single primary school in 1972 for all the children of Kandiga and neighboring communities, we now have close to 10 primary and Junior high schools serving the basic educational needs of Kandiga,” he said.
He urged the people to avoid sectionalism and work together to project the area, to attract the needed investment for accelerated development, adding “I encourage all of us to build a collective commitment to a more inclusive and supportive community culture that can attract and retain essential development initiatives from among ourselves or foreigners.”
Naaba Amenga-Etego II, however, noted that the community still lagged in terms of development and appealed to the government to take urgent steps for the creation of a new district out of Kassena-Nankana West to propel development.
He also appealed to the government to increase the infrastructure base of the Kandiga Senior High Technical School, extend electricity to more communities and rehabilitate major roads in the area.
Speaking on behalf of Mr Stephen Yakubu, the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Gerard Ataogye, the District Chief Executive for the area, indicated that the contribution of Naaba Amenga-Etego to the development of the area was huge and appealed to the people to rally behind the chief for more development projects.
