Andani Gate rescinds decision

The "Andani Gate" in the Yendi disturbances has rescinded its decision not to go to Sunyani to testify before the Wuaku Commission of Inquiry into the Yendi disturbances in which about 30 people including the Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II were killed.

In a letter dated June 6, 2002 and signed by the Regent of Gulkpegu, Naa Ziblim Abdulai and the Yoo-Gbon-Lan, Kpema Mahamadu to President John Agyekum Kufuor and the Chairman of the Commission, they said they were going to Sunyani under protest.

"We want it to be placed on record that the government and the Wuaku Commission of Inquiry into the Yendi events of 25th to 27th March 2002 would be jointly and severally responsible if any member of our family suffers any attack during their travel to Sunyani or after there," the letter said.

The Andani family had earlier petitioned President Kufuor to change the venue of the Justice Wuaku Commission of Inquiry from Sunyani to Tamale, Kumasi, Damongo or Nelerigu citing insecurity, accommodation, transportation and feeding problems of their witnesses and other members of the family who might travel to Sunyani. The petition was not accepted.

The letter alleged that during the Eid-Ul-Adha festival, the then Minister of the Interior, Alhaji Malik Yakubu and the Yendi District Chief Executive Mohammed Habibu Tijani arranged for a contingent of military personnel from Sunyani to come to Yendi to support Abdulai Mahamadu of the Abudu Gate "to set up a parallel traditional authority in Yendi to celebrate the festival".

The letters said a Senior Police Officer, who was against Ya-Na Andani when he was in Yendi, had been transferred to Sunyani and that town was the second home of Major Abukari Sulemana, who the Andani Gate had accused of masterminding the assassination of the Ya-Na.

Notwithstanding the government's assurance of their safety at Sunyani, the letter said; "for those reasons coupled with rumours that members of the Abudu family intended to attack our witnesses make us feel unsafe in Sunyani".

Their agreeing to go to Sunyani must be a big relief to the government which has been at pains to distance itself from the tragic events that led to the setting up of the Wuaku Commission.