Stop making inflammatory statements - Minister

Accra, Aug. 21, GNA- Interior Minister, Mr Hackman Owusu Agyemang on Thursday asked Ghanaians to refrain from making inflammatory statements about the situation in Dagbon to ensure a peaceful and lasting solution to the crisis.

He said while the government is not trying to deprive any Ghanaian his right to free speech, there is the need for caution and not disturb the peace that is being evolved in the area.

Mr Owusu Agyemang was addressing the Ministry of Information weekly press briefing to explain to the public, efforts government is making to allow peace to return to the region.

The disturbances in the Dagbon Traditional area in the early part of last year led to the burning of the Gbewaa Palace and murder of the overlord of the area Yaa Na Andani II.

The sad events prompted government to declare a state of emergency and set up the Wuaku Commission to look into the disturbances. The Minister said it is not government's intention to allow the Dagbon Crisis to deepen since an unstable situation in any part of the country will give the outside world a negative impression of Ghana. He said any future agreement on a peace deal, will depend on the ability of the two parties -the Andanis and Abudus - to discuss the underlying problems.

"Unfortunately, the problem has been for the members of the two gates to agree to sit down for us to be able to resolve all the issues relating to the crisis."

Mr Owusu Agyemang said government has made several efforts, including visits by Ministers of State, UN Conflict Resolution Team, Parliamentary delegations and Heads of Security agencies all in attempt to get the two gates together to work towards a comprehensive peace plan.

He commended the committee of the three eminent chiefs, who are looking at the traditional issues relating to the conflict, emphasizing that customary issues needed to be resolved with caution to ensure that decisions arrived at could stand the test of time.

These traditional activities are the purification and reconstruction and rehabilitation of the Gbewaa Palace as well as the burial of the late Yaa Na and eskinment of a new one. On the state of emergency, the Minister said, government did nothing wrong in depending on the security agencies advice.

"Government does not enjoy the state of emergency, which can make it unpopular," he said, adding that the current curfew hours are under constant review taking into account the security situation in the Dagbon Traditional Area.

Mr Owusu Agyeman said although the Minority is pressing for the lifting of the state of emergency, it has so far failed to provide any alternative plan towards achieving peace in Dagbon. 21 Aug. 03