The Executive Director made the observation during the gradu­ation of a skills training and exhi­bition ceremony held in Navrongo in the Kassena-Nankana Munici­pality in the Upper East Region on Monday.

He said that there was the need to tackle inter-tribal and clan conflict, to pave the way for devel­opment.

Mr Atiiga cited that in the Bawku area “some financial institu­tions, schools and renowned busi­ness establishments have vacated the area and therefore discouraging more investors to invest in the conflict environment”.

He noted that the Kasse­na-Nankana Municipal Assembly has been spending huge sums of money on the Doba-Kandiga conflict.

Mr Atiiga said the money could have been channelled to develop other sectors of in the municipality, to help improve upon livelihoods.

Mr Atiiga urged the chiefs and people in the area to help resolve land and chieftaincy disputes to pave the way for development.

He said over the years, OLAM has been providing vocational skills training in batik, tie and dye, weaving and dressmaking in ad­dition to start-up kits to establish their own businesses.

He said OLAM with funding from the German Embassy, in Ghana, and Open Society Initia­tive for West Africa, OSIWA-Sen­egal, had so far trained at least 1,000 youth some of whom have established their own enterprises.

The Kassena-Nankana Munic­ipal Chief Executive,Mr Joseph Adongo, lauded OLAM for the support.

He stated that Vocational and Technical Education was the key to addressing the unemployment situation in the country.

Mr Adongo urged parents to encourage their children to acquire skills for employment.