Chieftaincy disputes threatening fragile peace in Northern Region

Tamale, March 29, GNA- Mr. Angwubutoge Awuni, Northern Regional Police Commander, has appealed to the Northern Regional House of Chiefs to expedite action in resolving all the outstanding chieftaincy disputes pending before it to help bring peace to the region.

He said the numerous chieftaincy and land disputes in the region were not only diverting resources meant for its development but was also overstrecthing the strength of the police personnel in the region. Mr. Awuni who made the appeal at a Police soiree in Tamale on Saturday, mentioned the Dagbon, Bimbilla, KusawguYapei and Buipe chieftaincy cases as some of those yet to be resolved.

He said the recent murder of the Garishegu Naa Yakubu Andani had posed another security threat to the region's fragile peace and urged the public to co-operate with the police to apprehend Alhassan Tia, a regent of Garishegu who is believed to be the mind behind the murder of the chief. He said the Togbon land dispute and the Termaa land dispute chieftaincy affairs in the Bunkpurugu district were still volatile and threatening the peace of the area.

ACP Awuni however assured that, the Regional Police Command would continue to strive to maintain peace in the region by increasing the number of its patrols in all the conflict areas and on the highways adding, the police would also continue to interact with the chiefs, religious leaders, the Regional Security Council, stakeholders in peace building and the radio stations.

We are also establishing community police watchdog committees in the towns and villages to find ways of maintaining peace in the region. The Regional Police Commander said in the face of the daunting problems confronting his men in the region, they were constrained among other things; inadequate financial allocations especially, when it came to feeding personnel on operational duties.

He said the service also lacked vehicles for rapid response and effective patrol as well as inadequate accommodation and communications equipments and appealed to the Police High Command and government to help it carry out its duties effectively.

Mr. Moses Bukari Mabengba, Northern Regional Minister urged the police to constantly refresh themselves on their ethics and code of conduct to enable them comport themselves and act professionally in the discharge of their duties. He assured the police of the support and co-operation of the Regional Co-ordinating Council.