Minority strikes deal with government on Dagbon

Accra, Sept.18, GNA - The Minority in Parliament on Thursday reached a deal with government to support the extension of the State of Emergency in Dagbon while the Executive took steps to review it in four districts before it expires next month.

Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyemang, Minister of the Interior, had given his word in a written form after the Majority and the Minority Leaderships engaged each other in a lengthy negotiation.

It reads: "I want to assure this House that barring any supervening dramatic incident, the state of Emergency in the four districts namely Tolon-Kumbungu; Savelugu-Nanton; Gushegu-Karaga and Zabzugu-Tatale will be reviewed at the end of this cycle of one month." Mr Isaac Adjei-Mensah, the Deputy Minority Leader, said the group was more concerned about the slow pace of investigation into the unresolved murders.

Mr Doe Adjaho, the Minority Chief Whip, said government should create the impression that it had not confused the crimes committed with the differences both gates have on the interpretation of tradition and custom.

Never should it be said that about 30 people were killed and nobody was found guilty, he said, adding; "prosperity would never forgive us". He called on government to implement its own decisions made in its white paper on the Wauko Commission's Report.

He said government was creating the impression that it was shielding somebody.

He said the Minority had shown good faith to government and had given it the benefit of the doubt hoping that it would not disappoint the group.

Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, NDC-Kumbungu, commended government for heeding the advice of the Minority on the peace process in Dagbon. He said it was important that government stayed neutral to give the two feuding parties the confidence to dialogue.

He said peace could not be imposed on the people but then government could create the enabling environment to promote it. He lauded the partial lifting of the curfew in four districts out of six in the area saying that it was a pure administrative measure that could be easily re-imposed.

"It has given the people hope and belief that their concerns and misfortunes are being taken care of by Parliament."

The member said government had succumbed to the dictates of democracy at "whose heart lie moderation and consensus building" He called for the removal of the District Chief Executive for Yendi "who is perceived as not part of the solution but part of the problem".

Alhaji Mumuni said the Minority would never compromise on the unresolved assassination of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, Paramount chief of Dagbon.