Tamale, Nov 21, GNA - President John Evans Atta Mills on Sunday repeated government's commitment to ensure social justice, peace and unity among Ghanaians irrespective of their political and ethnic affiliations. "Our justice is not partisan, our justice is not ethnic, but we are doing this because we have sworn to the people of Ghana to bring justice and unity into the country."

President Mills said this during the final funeral celebration of the late Alhaji Sumani Zakari, former Northern Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The late Alhaji Zakari, who left behind four wives and 29 children, was also a farmer, retired civil servant, retired footballer and an opinion leader among the Dagombas in the Northern Region and beyond. President Mills said as part of government's efforts to ensure justice in the country, strenuous efforts had been made in bringing the perpetrators and killers of the late Ya-Na Andani to book.

He said the accused persons are currently arraigned before court and at the appropriate time, justice would be meted out. He appealed to party members not to allow the death of the party chairman to divide their ranks, but should rather use his death to unify all members for the party to win the 2012 general election. "If this government does not succeed, there is no way NDC can win future elections and so we need to unite and forge ahead to win the 2012 elections." President Mills called on leaderships of other political parties to relate very well in order to discourage their supporters from engaging in unacceptable practices, particularly during political campaigns. "We should not only show our love and solidarity for each other during funerals alone but we should demonstrate that at all levels of life in our dear country."

President Mills said the late Alhaji Zakari who was also known as "Alhaji Suffer to Gain" had chalked a lot of successes in the Northern Region by capturing a lot of political seats and called on his successors to maintain that political tempo for them to win subsequent elections. Vice President John Dramani Mahama, who also described the late Regional NDC chairman as a resolute and unifying leader, paid glowing tribute to him for his immense organizational prowess in both the party and social activities.

"He was not only a fighter, but also a diplomat, when it comes to settling of internal disputes and it is in that respect that I call on all of you here to learn and take it up from there." Tribute by the National Executive Committee of the party was read by Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia, General Secretary of the NDC, while one of the late Alhaji Zakari's sons read the one on behalf of the family. The funeral was also attended by ministers, deputy ministers, members of parliament, district chief executives from all over the country and Alhaji Aliu Mahama, former Vice President and the leaderships of other political parties.