Former Government Spokesperson on Governance and Security, Dr. Palgrave Boakye-Danquah, has apologised to the Gonja community following backlash over comments he made during a live panel discussion on Channel One TV regarding the Gbiniyiri conflict in the Savannah Region.
The apology was issued in a statement released by the African Institute on Governance and Security (AIGS), where Dr. Boakye-Danquah serves as Senior Fellow and Security Analyst, a day after the Gonjaland Youth Association (GLYA) publicly denounced his remarks as “false, inflammatory, and unjust.”
During the discussion, Dr. Boakye-Danquah had called for a “total state of emergency in the entire Savannah Region” and alleged that “it is the Gonja guys that are doing this… they have rifles, they have ammunition.”
The GLYA rejected the claim, stating that the conflict originated as a private dispute involving members of the Brifo-Lobi community and was being addressed under the authority of the Gbiniyiri chief, a recognised Gonja traditional ruler.
The youth association described his comments as misleading, dangerous, and disrespectful to the dignity and peaceful legacy of the Gonja people.
In its statement, AIGS acknowledged the concerns raised by the GLYA and emphasised the need to approach such culturally and historically sensitive issues with care. While noting that Dr. Boakye-Danquah’s assessment was informed by credible intelligence, the institute admitted that his words may have caused unintended distress.
“Dr. Boakye-Danquah extends his sincere apologies for any misrepresentation or unintended distress his comments may have caused to the Gonja people or the broader Gonjaland community,” the statement read.
The statement also clarified that his call for a state of emergency was not meant for the entire Savannah Region but specifically for Gbiniyiri, where recent violence—including the killing of three unarmed Gonja youth and the son of the Kalbawura—has unsettled the community.
AIGS reaffirmed that Dr. Boakye-Danquah’s intention was not to incite division or ethnicise the conflict but to promote urgent action to prevent escalation.
“His intention has never been to malign, divide, or undermine the dignity, restraint, and peaceful legacy of the Gonja people, descendants of the noble Sumaila Ndewura Jakpa,” the statement emphasised.
Dr. Boakye-Danquah also expressed his willingness to engage in constructive dialogue with all stakeholders—including traditional leaders, youth groups, security agencies, and government representatives—to help advance peace and justice.
