JAK airlifts warlords to Accra

... for peace talks

PRESIDENT JOHN Agyekum Kufuor is sending a special aircraft to the Northern Region today to pick leaders of the warring factions at Yendi to meet him in Accra.

Also to be flown back to Accra on the same plane is the Nayiri or King of the Mamprusis who, traditionally, is recognised as a big brother to the Yaa-Naa of Yendi.

Mr. Ferdinand O. Ayim of the Ministry of Information who disclosed this in an interview yesternight explained that the Nayiri will be expected to lend his “weight and authority to the talks to be held between the President and the two factions.”

The aim of the talks is to calm tempers and get both sides to the fight to agree to a peaceful resolution as a short term measure, Ayim added.

As a measure to broker a long-lasting solution to the Dagbon chiefgaincy disputes intends constituting a team of three very prominent kings including the Asantehene, the Nayiri and the Yagbonwura who is king of the Gongas to deliberate on the age-long Yendi disputes, the InformationMinistry official further disclosed.

He was happy to note that the situation at Yendi, Tamale and other Dagbon settlements have calmed since the dastard deed was done last Wednesday.

“We are told there is no further breach. And as I talk now the Council of State has a delegation in the area holding talks for peace.”

As would be recalled the chashes between the Andani Gate and Abudulai Gate of Yendi hit a crescendo last Wednesday when 25 people including the Yendi chief were massacred aside of billions of cedis worth of property that were destroyed.

The Ministers for the Interior and Northern Region resigned as the government plunged into investigation to expose architects of the assassinations.

The moves to restore peace and nomalcy to Yendi as soon as possible are also considered to be of prime necessity as planting season for the district which is one of the chief yam, rice and maize producers is just around the corner.