Violence Does Not Pay

The President, Professor John Evans Atta Mills has advised kingmakers in the country to always strive to promote peace since there cannot be development without peace.

Speaking at the final funeral rites of the late Chiana Pio Rowland Adiala Ayagitam II, the Regent of Chiana Pe Traditional Area in the Kassena Nankana West District of the Upper East Region over the Weekend, President Mills urged especially people connected to the enskinement of a successor to the late Chiana Pio to ensure that they were guided by the truth.

According to him, Chiana Pio was somebody who cherished and espoused peace within and beyond his area and advised the people to ensure that the peacekeeping role of the late regent continued.

He said it has been amply seen that development does not thrive in an environment devoid of peace and urged the people of China to ensure that they were guided by the truth in the selection of a new regent.

‘I would want to appeal to all those who would be connected with the exercise to be guided by the truth, the need for peace and what is in the best interest of the people of Chiana’, President Mills stated.
He further appealed to the people to continue with the numerous developmental projects of the late Chiana Pio.

The late Chiana Pio was born in 1932 and died on 16 April 2006. He was enskined as Chiana Pio on 17th May 1950 and through his inspirational leadership nominated as the Speaker of the Consultative Assembly that drafted the 1992 Constitution.

President Mills told the people of Chiana that he was there to join them perform the final funeral rites of the late Chiana-Pio for a number of reasons, chiefly amongst which is to celebrate his life, and give thanks to God for given the nation a person who made it possible for the country to strengthen its democratic credentials by adopting the 1992 constitution.

He noted that the late Chiana-Pio who was the Speaker of the Consultative Assemble left behind a record, which is there for all to see, resulting in Ghana being praised for its democratic credentials in Africa and beyond.

President Mills further revealed that the late China-Pio was a personal friend, adding that he got to know him around 1999 when he was the Vice President, which friendship has continued ever since until Chiana Pio’s untimely death.

“Those of you who knew him, those of you who read about him, those of you who heard about him, would testify that indeed he was a patriot, this was someone who was selfless and was prepared to serve his nation and his people” President Mills said.

The funeral ceremony attracted numerous mourners from the political divide and sympathizers in far and beyond. The late Chiana Pio held various leadership positions and played vital roles in the socio-economic and political development of the country.

He was President of Kassena Nankana Traditional Council for two terms (1972 to 1976 and 1985 to 1989) He became the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs in 1976 after the separation of Upper east and Upper West Regions.

Source: Ghana Palaver /Ghana