The people of Dagbon, under the leadership of Yagbonwura Bikunuto Jewu Soale I, yesterday held a grand durbar at Damongo to thank the President, who was in the area for a goodbye tour, for his massive and overwhelming impact in the region.

In a speech delivered at the event, Yagbonwura Bikunuto Jewu expressed the heartfelt gratitude of the people of Dagbon to President Akufo-Addo for what he deems to be the enormous impact the area witnessed under the reign of President Akufo-Addo.

Yagbonwura Bikunuto Jewu stated that by ensuring the creation of the Savannah Region and resolving the chieftaincy dispute that plagued the area for decades, President Akufo-Addo has etched his name in Gonja history as the President who granted Gonjaland their utmost desire.

He observed that the massive developments enjoyed by the area are palpable in all facets of their lives, including education, health, agriculture, roads, among others.

“We are profoundly grateful to you for your role and dedication in the creation of the Savannah Region. This vital decision has brought immense progress in key areas such as education, health­care, agriculture, roads, and many more. The people of Gonjaland have indeed experienced significant elevation as a result of this, and we remain eternally grateful to you,” he said.

In a riveting speech filled with gratitude, President Akufo-Addo expressed his thanks to the people of Gonjaland and Ghanaians by extension for the honour done him and the unflinching support he enjoyed during his presidency.

On the specific case of Dagbon, President Akufo-Addo outlined the things that make his administration stand out as the best in the history of the Dagbon people.

President Akufo-Addo acknowl­edged the role of the Yagbonwura, Bikunuto Jewu, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and the Nayiri, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, the Overlord of the Mamprugu Kingdom, in the journey towards the installation of lasting peace in Dagbon.

President Akufo-Addo also tout­ed the credentials of his govern­ment in areas such as health, educa­tion, and infrastructure, explaining that he honoured his promise of becoming an agent of development for the Dagbon people.

“I want to thank the people of Ghana for the honour of making me their President not once but twice. I came to thank you all for your support and encouragement and also to say goodbye. There are two significant matters that I want to single out for mention: the cooperation and collaboration I received from your predecessor.

“First of all, for the great help he gave in being one of the three chiefs who helped me bring peace to Dagbon. He was one of the three eminent chiefs, alongside Otumfuo Osei Tutu II and Na-yiri, who helped bring peace to Yagbon. I will never forget this collab­oration and will continue to be eternally grateful.

“The second is the cooperation I received from him for the creation of the Savannah Region. When I came into office, I received a petition from Gonjaland that they wanted their own region and they had been demanding it for many years. I told him that with the way the constitution is written, it is the people of the area who must deter­mine whether they want a region. I told him I was ready, and if he was ready, then we could work together. By the grace of God, we worked together and brought the Savan­nah Region to reality. I will always remember him and be grateful to the Jakpa stool for these two great achievements of my administra­tion,” he said.

Mr Samuel A. Jinapor, the Mem­ber of Parliament for Damongo, eulogised President Akufo-Addo, describing his works in the region as “unmatched.”

According to him, President Akufo-Addo assumed legendary status in the eyes of the Gonja people by granting their request for a region, which they had been making even before Ghana attained independence.

“The people of the Savannah Region and Gonjaland have been clamouring and fighting for a region since the 19th century. The people of Gonjaland have petitioned all presidents under the Fourth Republic, and it is President Nana Dankwa Akufo-Addo who has created the Savannah Region. This is part of the Akufo-Addo legacy, today and forever. Anybody who comes to this region, we welcome you to the Akufo-Addo region.

“Mr President, that achievement is unmatched. You have liberat­ed the people of Gonjaland and granted us independence. The Savannah Region and Gonjaland say thank you. In addition to cre­ating this region, you have brought unparallelled development in all facets of human life. Your legacy in education, healthcare, agriculture, road infrastructure, and more is unmatched,” he said.