Andanis appeal to NRC for compensation

Accra, March 16, GNA - The Andani Family on Tuesday appealed to the National Reconciliation (NRC) to recommend an appropriate compensation for the massacre by soldiers and policemen of 36 members of their family in 1969.

Mr Adam Baba Issifu, representing the family told the Commission's public hearing in Accra that the family had made several attempts to no avail to have the matter investigated.

Chiefs from the gate, as well as people, wearing T-shirts with the picture of the immediate past late Ya-na Yakubu Andani embossed on them, were in the Witness and public galleries listening on as Mr Issifu gave evidence.

He said after the death of Ya-Na Abdulai III in 1967, Nene Mate Kole Committee, which the NLC appointed to look into the Yendi Skin affairs, declared the enskinment of Naa Andani III, as Ya-Na, a nullity, and accepted Mahamadu to be enskinned.

He said Mate Kole Committee was at work when Naa Andani died on March 12 1969, and his eldest son Yakubu Andani, was installed the regent of the Paramountcy, pending the final funeral rites of the late king. Witness said a large number of members of the Andani family were then occupying the palace, and it was during this time that soldiers and policemen, led by one Superintendent Alhassan surrounded and opened fire on the people that were in occupation, without any prior notice for them to move out.

The Witness said the army and police personnel arrested those who escaped death and locked them up in Yendi Prison for 21 days. Another Witness, Madam Faustina Theresa Paintsil, from Ajumako Biseasi, gave evidence that covered two other people, Mesdames Theresa Painstil and Rose Ghansah.

She said after working for eight years as, kindergarten attendants, with the local district council, they were each given a cheque of 100,000 cedis, in 1985 to cash at the Denkyira Rural Bank, in appreciation of their efforts.

However, the then District Secretary Mr J.K Nyanney authorized that their cheques should not be honoured, without assigning any reasons. She said they were later employed by the Ghana Education Service, but dismissed without any notice after four years.

She said the consequent hard life made it difficult to care for their younger children, and could also not give them good education. As result, they are not on good terms with them, she said.

Madam Painstil prayed the Commission for appropriate compensation.