President, Vice, MP Must Visit Yendi ? NDC

THE NATIONAL Democratic Congress (NDC) has once more asked the President to endeavour to visit the troubled area of the Dagbon traditional area, Tamale municipality and Yendi district.

The NDC has also urged the Vice-President, Alhaji Aliu Mahama, and Hon Malik Yakubu, MP for Yendi, to also endeavour to visit the place.

Hon E.K.D. Adjaho, Minority Chief Whip made this request on behalf of the Minority in Parliament last Friday during the debate for the extension of the state of emergency in the area.

According to Hon Adjaho, it is sad that the President has not visited the troubled area since hostilities began last March.

Hon Adjaho further lamented that the Vice-President who hailed from the area, and the MP for the area, Hon Yakubu, could all not visit the place since troubles started there.

He said the time had come for all to work towards the return of peace to the area, and the NDC will co-operate with government to ensure that there is absolute calm, and peace is restored there.

Hon Adjaho wondered why the extension of the state of emergency if farming activities were going on in good earnest.

Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of Defence and acting Minister of the Interior, said the four-week extension given by Parliament last month had elapsed that another be invoked.

He thanked the security personnel, chiefs and people of the area for the success of the state of emergency.

According to him, the security situation in the affected area had improved and it is expected that with the continued improvement in the security situation, the state emergency with its inconveniences and restrictions will be lifted.

However, there is still the need for the state of emergency and the presence of the security agencies in the area.

He observed that the security forces in the Dagbon traditional area have, in recent times, observed a concerted effort to flood the area with arms and ammunitions.

According to the minister, on June 2, 2002, 15 pieces of Russian ? made shot guns were intercepted at the Fufulso checkpoint from Brong-Ahafo.

He also noted that so far, almost 20 assorted foreign and locally-weapons have been seized at roadblocks in the area.

Also, a cordon and search operation in Bimbilla recently led to the seizure of 20 shot guns and a quantity of ammunitions.

The minister stressed that as at present, the state of emergency also offers the security forces the needed space to escort feuding gates uninterruptedly to and from Sunyani to appear before the Wuaku Commission.

Dr Addo-Kufuor said farming and commercial activities have started in good earnest as a result of the adjustment normal routine in places such as Tamale, Yendi and Savelugu.

The minister advocated the maintenance of the prevailing curfew period of 9:00 pm to 5:00 am. Hon Reginald Niibi Ayi-Bontey, MP for Odododioodioo, argued that the visit by the President was not necessary. What was necessary was that peace was restored there.

He, therefore, called on members of handle the issue with greater circumspection.

Hon Kwodwo Adjei-Darko, Minister of Mines, urged religious leaders to intervene in the conflict so as to advise people to put behind them what has happened.

Hon Anna Nyamekui, Deputy Minister of Environment and Science opined that it was because there was war in the place that a state of emergency was declared.

This means that a visit by the President was not safe.

The NDC MP for Nadowli South, Hon E.S. Zumarkpeh, urged government to look critically into this issue.

He said the NDC was not being mischievous in this demand.