Dagbon curfew extended

Parliament on Wednesday extended the curfew it had imposed on the Dagbon Traditional Area for one more month under the State of Emergency declared in the area since March 27 this year.

The House by 123 votes with no abstentions and none against reduced the curfew period from 2100 hours to 0500 hours instead of 2000 hours to 0500 hours that was approved on April 3, following the assassination of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, Overlord of Dagbon, on March 26.

Before the curfew could be extended, the Deputy Majority Leader, Abraham Osei-Aidoo requested the House to suspend sitting for about 30 minutes to enable the House arrive at a consensus on the issue.

When the House resumed sitting after sitting in camera, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of Defence and now responsible for the Interior moved that the State of Emergency should be extended for a further period of one month.

He said although the security situation had tremendously improved in the area yet the "situation does not justify the lifting of the State of Emergency now, and that it is in public interest" that the curfew be maintained for a long period.

Dr Addo-Kufuor said the Justice Wuaku Commission established to investigate the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute would soon start sitting at Sunyani and needed public support, peace and order to delve into the issue.

He said the country was facing security problems including invasion by Fulani cattle herdsmen, refugees from war-torn West African countries were still flooding into the country with illegal weapons and chieftaincy disputes were rearing their ugly heads.

In supporting the motion, Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni, NDC MP for Kumbungu, said the extension of the curfew was not a welcome action but necessity to ensure peace, which is the prerequisite for development that was so compelling that the House was forced to take that line of action.

He said with goodwill and good sense on the part of all Ghanaians the hardships arising out of the curfew could be mitigated.

Alhaji Mumuni said the security men maintaining peace in the area should conduct themselves in such a way that they did not abuse the human rights of the residents.

The curfew could have been moved down from 2200 hours to 0500 hours, adding, "this is the farming season and the people who are predominantly farmers need to go to their farms early and to return late."

The Attorney General and Minister for Justice, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, said the government would be very cautious to ensure that no human rights were infringed upon in the area.

He said any report or information on the abuse of human rights of any individual would be treated with dispatch "to ensure that no part of the country go up in flames".

Mr. Doe Adjaho, the Minority Chief Whip, said he was happy that the matter was being treated on non-partisan bases and called for the implementation of constitutional provisions of Article 31 and 32 which compels the government to publish in the gazette and the media within two weeks anyone, who might have been arrested or detained under the State of Emergency.

He said there was the need to support peace and stability necessary for development.