Guan Association Endorses Prez Mahama's Candidature

The Association of Guan Speaking People of Ghana on Friday endorsed President John Dramani Mahama as the most qualified candidate to be the next president. A statement jointly signed by Alhaji Abu Jaja and Mr. Kwasi Akoto both members of the Association in Accra, said the decision was unanimously decided at a council meeting. The Association said its decision was based on the fact that President Mahama served as a legislator for three conservative times; was a deputy minister of communication before becoming a substantive minister, which qualified him as cabinet member; later became the Vice President of Ghana under late Professor Atta Mills� administration and now the President of the land. More especially, the statement said, John Mahama was named the number one Guan citizen during the Guan Congress at Kete Krachi in March 17th this year. The Guan are believed to have migrated from the Mossi region of modern Burkina around A.D. 1000 moving gradually through the Volta valley in a southerly direction, where they created settlements along the Black Volta, throughout the Afram Plains, in the Volta Gorge, and in the Akwapim Hills before moving farther south onto the coastal plains. Constituting about a quarter of the Guan, the Gonja to the north have also been influenced by other groups. The Gonja are ruled by members of a dynasty, probably Mande in origin. The area is peopled by a variety of groups, some of which do not speak Guan. The ruling dynasty, however, does speak Guan, as do substantial numbers of commoners.