Anlo curfew still in force, but

two MPs request its end

Accra, Nov. 20, GNA- Government on Tuesday announced that the curfew on Anlo, from 2000 hours to 0500 hours was still in force. Two MPs from the area have however, requested an end to the curfew to enable the communities start their day's activities early enough. Mr. Kwamena Bartels Minister of the Interior, in a statement, told Parliament in Accra that the situation had been calm after Government security measures in the wake of the chieftaincy dispute that erupted in the area in recent times.

He said however that, " Government believes that it should err on the side of caution by monitoring the situation for some time to ensure that it is safe to lift the curfew."

Consequently the curfew re-imposed on Friday November 16, 2007 would still be in force from 2000 hours to 0500 everyday, but "shall cover only Anloga and its immediate environs (that is Tegbi, Woe, Anloga, Whuti and Atorkor).

Keta however, is not covered by the curfew. Mr Bartels re-emphasised that the ban on the possession of arms and ammunition in the Keta and Anloga area still remains in force. Also, Police and Military presence in Anloga and Keta would be maintained to ensure law and order and to consolidate the current calm in the area while Government monitored the situation. In a contribution, Mr Clement Kofi Humado (NDC-Anlo) said the curfew was in the third week, and the situation was returning fast to normal.

A number of institutions, banks and markets had been re-opened, and appealed for the curfew to be completely lifted. Mr Humado said two things had helped in bringing peace to the area- the enforcement of the order for restraining traditional authorities from holding any meetings and the need for the rightful heir to be determined through appropriate constitutional means.

He appealed for stakeholders not to do anything to move away from the roadmap for peace, and suggested that the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Culture collaborated to support the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, which was provided recently with a legal counsel, also with logistics in the discharge of duties in determining the rightful heir.

Mr Doe Adjaho, (NDC-Avenor Ave) said the situation in the Anlo area could still be monitored without necessarily imposing a curfew. Violence exploded on November 1, 2007 in Anloga between factions of the royal Adzovia clan over who had the right to install an Awoamefia (Paramount Chief) to succeed Togbui Adaladza, who died in 1998. The violence resulted in the death of four civilians and a Police officer.

The Government obtained an injunction from an Accra High Court restraining the kingmakers of the Anlo Traditional Council from holding any meeting or event concerning or connected with the installation of Togbui Sri III as the Awoamefia until further notice from the court. However, a statement from the Secretary of the Palace of Awoamefia said the installation of Awoamefia Sri III was completed before the court order was obtained. 20 Nov. 2007