Editorial: THE WUAKU COMMISSION

IF ANYONE had any doubt as to the enormity of the crime that was perpetrated in Yendi between March 25-27, 2001 and its potential to eternally destabilise the Dagbon Kingdom, that person’s mind should have been disabused by now. Since the Justice Wuaku Commission, tasked by President John Agyekum Kufuor to bring lasting peace to Dagbon, started sittings in Sunyani, the Andani and Abudu gates embroiled in the fatricidal fray, have openly traded insults before the commission more than once. Such has been their compulsive misbehaviour that Justice Wuaku once threatened to bar them from its sittings, anytime they enact a similar performance. But such is the antipathy between the two half brother groups that we may not have had the last of their flare-ups.

To state that the work of the Wuaku Commission is delicate is to understate the obvious and the fact of its delicateness cannot be over-emphasised. It is for this reason that the National Concord feels constrained to make some of the suggestions to help curb what appears to be one man’s fear that justice may not be done at the end of the day.

We are here referring to ex-President Jerry John Rawlings. In his August 10 Kumasi positive-defiance speech, Rawlings urged Ghanaians to ensure that the Wuaku Commission investigating the Yendi crisis, dispensed justice. He reportedly repeated the call when UN boss Kofi Annan paid a courtesy call on him.

The National Concord is well aware that being a politician and founder of a defeated party, ex-President Rawlings could be playing politics. But he could equally have genuine concerns as the statesman that many believe he should portray himself to be now. Being a former head of state, we do believe he still has a security network of sorts still working for him; yes, even without regular pay. If his fears are genuine, it may be based on such reports. But of course the people manning such shadowy security apparatus could be faking their reports, as is known to have happened elsewhere. Maybe their boss wants a report every week, wily nilly, so they will give him some, true or not.

The National Concord cannot say which of these two scenarios is correct. However, we will appeal to the members of the commission, individually and collectively, to as much as possible, severely restrict the visitors they receive in between sittings to among themselves and family members only. We are not saying that there have been reports of untoward meetings or visits. But the sort of visitors they receive could lead to certain perceptions, which may not necessarily reflect the reality. There is, already, the perception that members of Government may have helped one of the Gates. Those allegedly involved have strenuously denied it and more: the Bolin Lana, the regent of the Abudu Gate, in his testimony before the commission recently denied ever seeking government help, and it constituted the banner headline of the Daily Graphic the next day. But it is not certain that that perception has been erased as yet. Once they set in perceptions are very hard to do away with, if ever.

What the National Concord is appealing for, honourable members of the Wuaku Commission, is to consider yourselves for the period of this your onerous assignment, as the members of the jury in an American or European Criminal trial. Such jurors are completely cut off from all interactions until they have delivered their verdict and have been discharged.

This may sound extreme, but we suggest it, both in your own personal and family interests as well as that of your special assignment of bringing lasting peace to the torn Dagbon Kingdom.

The National Concord believes that members of the Wuaku Commission and their chairman are honourable men and will execute their duties impartially to the best of their abilities.

These suggestions in no way detract from this view, but designed to help reinforce it, as a means of helping the commission to achieve its objective to general public acclaim.