Former vice pres­ident, Dr Muham­madu Barwumia, has called on king makers and the Regional Houses of chiefs in the Bono and Bono East Regions to resolve chieftaincy disputes within their areas in order to ensure peace and promote development.According to the Former vice president some of the chieftaincy disputes which ignite tension and serious conflicts in the region can be described as national security threat and called for their immedi­ate resolution to guarantee peace and stability of the country.Dr Barwumia made the ap­pealed in a speech read on his behalf at the durbar of chiefs and people of Bono speaking people to mark this year's Meko Bono festival celebration at Odumase in the Bono Region last Friday.The festival, celebrated in August every year among other things, seeks to highlight the rich cultural heritage of the chiefs and people of the Bono speaking people, build family tides and to moblise resources for the develop­ment of their area.The former Majority Leader in parliament, Mr Kyei Mensah Bonsu, who read the former vice president speech noted that without peace all efforts to bring development to their respective areas would amount to nothing.He later donated an amount of GH¢25,000 to support the programme.The president of the Bono Re­gional House of chiefs, Oseadeyor Agyeman Badu, who led a fund raising activity of the event, called on indigenes of the region both home and abroad to support de­velopment initiatives of the region to better the lot of the people.The Bono Regional Minister, Joseph Addae Akwaboah, who began his speech with a minute si­lence for last Wednesday helicop­ter crash victims, called for peace and unity among the people to push for the development agenda of the Bono Region.Government under the big push, he emphasised, would soon begin the construction of some deplorable road networks in the region to enhance socio-economic activities there.Mr Addae Akwaboah urged the people to be proud and speak the Bono language to make it attractive to others.He later donated some cash amount on behalf of the govern­ment to the programme.The chairman for the occasion, Ohempon Dr Yeboah Asiama, who is also the Paramount Chief of Atebubu Amantin, said the Meko Bono festival started in 2022 aims to reflect and recollect the struggles and journey of the Bono people which was bequeathed to succeeding generations by their forefathers.The Paramount Chief also men­tioned that the Bono state existed long before the colonial adminis­tration came into being urging the people to appreciate themselves as unique people and be proud of their achievements. FROM DANIEL DZIRASAH, ODUMASE