The Gonjaland Youth Association (GLYA), in consultation with His Royal Majesty Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, has successfully concluded a landmark two-day stakeholders’ engagement aimed at safeguarding the external boundaries of Gonjaland and developing a comprehensive Strategic Development Plan for the Gonja Kingdom.
Held in Damongo under the theme, “Charting a Sustainable Development Agenda for Gonjaland,” the forum brought together chiefs, elders, academics, development practitioners, government officials, and other key stakeholders to deliberate on land governance and the future development of Gonjaland.
The engagement highlighted the urgent need to protect the territorial integrity of the Gonja Kingdom through proper land documentation, boundary demarcation, and the establishment of Customary Land Secretariats across traditional areas.
Participants also discussed strategies for promoting sustainable development in education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, youth empowerment, and cultural preservation. Stakeholders unanimously agreed that securing Gonja lands and implementing a coordinated development agenda are essential to ensuring lasting prosperity for present and future generations of Gonjaland.
The details of the engagement is contained in a press statement signed by the PRO of the GLYA, Mankir Ibn Malik
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE.
GLYA LEADS HISTORIC ENGAGEMENT ON GONJALAND BOUNDARIES AND FUTURE DEVELOPMENT PLAN.
Damongo, Savannah Region
4th June 2026.
The Leadership of the Gonjaland Youth Association (GLYA), in consultation with His Royal Majesty Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I, successfully organized a two-day stakeholders’ engagement on the external land boundaries of Gonjaland and the development of a Strategic Development Plan for the Gonja Kingdom.
Held under the theme, “Charting a Sustainable Development Agenda for Gonjaland,” the engagement brought together chiefs and elders of the Gonja Kingdom, researchers, academicians, development practitioners, government officials, and other key stakeholders committed to the advancement of Gonjaland.
The programme was chaired by the Pro Vice-Chancellor of the University for Development Studies (UDS), Professor Elliot Alhassan Haruna, and attended by the Savannah Regional Minister, Hon. Salisu Be-Awuribe, all seven Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Savannah Region, as well as traditional authorities and distinguished personalities from across Gonjaland.
In his opening remarks, the President of the Gonjaland Youth Association, Alhassan Baba Darison, underscored the urgent need for chiefs and traditional leaders to safeguard and protect the external boundaries of Gonjaland. He emphasized that preserving the territorial integrity of the Gonja Kingdom remains a collective responsibility requiring commitment, vigilance, and strategic action from all stakeholders.
The Savannah Regional Minister, Hon. Salisu Be-Awuribe, commended GLYA for initiating the engagement and called on all Paramount Chiefs in Gonjaland to establish Customary Land Secretariats within their traditional areas.
According to him, the establishment of such institutions would significantly improve land administration, documentation, and protection of traditional lands. He further advocated for the demarcation of land boundaries using clearly identifiable geographical features to minimize disputes and strengthen ownership claims.
Chairman of the programme, Professor Elliot Alhassan Haruna, called on the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) within Gonjaland to work closely with traditional authorities in addressing land boundary challenges. He urged the Assemblies to support chiefs and traditional areas to engage qualified surveyors to properly demarcate and document traditional lands, stressing that accurate land surveys remain essential for protecting the territorial integrity of Gonjaland and preventing future disputes.
Professor Haruna further urged the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) to support the various Traditional Areas in establishing Customary Land Secretariats to strengthen land administration, improve documentation and record keeping, and safeguard traditional lands against encroachment and ownership disputes. He noted that effective land administration structures are critical to protecting the territorial integrity and development interests of Gonjaland.
The Pro Vice-Chancellor also called on Gonjalanders, both at home and in the diaspora, to support efforts toward the establishment of a television station for Gonjaland. According to him, such a platform would serve as an important medium for promoting and preserving the rich culture, history, traditions, and values of the Gonja Kingdom, while providing a voice for development advocacy and projecting the image of Gonjaland to national and international audiences.
The technical sessions were facilitated by renowned land governance experts and historian/researcher, Dr. Abdulai Akibu and Bengowura Adam Sam, who led discussions on the historical boundaries of Gonja State, existing land boundary challenges, documentation of traditional lands, and strategies for producing a certified and legally recognized map of Gonjaland.
Participants extensively deliberated on issues relating to boundary protection, land documentation, preservation of indigenous Gonja place names, strategic settlement of boundary areas, and the need to strengthen institutional mechanisms for defending Gonja lands against encroachment.
Also contributing to the discussions, Professor Adam Sulemana Achanso emphasized the importance of preserving the rich historical heritage of the Gonja Kingdom through proper documentation. He urged the Gonjaland Youth Association (GLYA) to take deliberate steps to document historical records, traditional boundaries, land ownership records, cultural heritage sites, oral histories, and other important materials relating to Gonjaland. According to him, comprehensive documentation would serve as a valuable resource for future generations while strengthening the legal, historical, and cultural claims of the Gonja people.
The engagement further focused on developing a comprehensive Strategic Development Plan for Gonjaland, with discussions centered on education, healthcare, infrastructure, agriculture, youth empowerment, economic transformation, security, environmental sustainability, cultural preservation, and good governance.
Stakeholders unanimously acknowledged that securing the territorial integrity of Gonjaland and implementing a coordinated development agenda are critical to achieving sustainable growth and prosperity for present and future generations.
GLYA expressed profound appreciation to His Royal Majesty Yagbonwura Bii-Kunuto Jewu Soale I for his unwavering support and leadership and thanked all participants for their invaluable contributions toward shaping the future of Gonjaland.
The recommendations and resolutions emerging from the engagement will be consolidated into actionable frameworks to guide future interventions on land governance and strategic development within the Gonja Kingdom.
Issued By:
Mankir Ibn Malik
Public Relations Officer (PRO)
Gonjaland Youth Association (GLYA)
0242363737
