Andani
Gate confirms death of Ya-Na Andani
New tribal clashes over Chief's killing
President Kufuor appeals for calm in Yendi
Supporters of Ya Na attack NPP property
Two ministers resign over Yendi conflict
Security forces did nothing to avert clashes in Yendi Chiefs
Regional
House of Chiefs expresses shock at Ya-Na's death
Govt
says intervention to restore order has been costly
Interior
Minister denies involvement in Yendi fighting
Presidential
Peace Mission to Yendi wont take sides - Mensah
Alleged
plot against journalists is a storm in a teacup - Mumuni
La
Beach closed for a few more days
Accra
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - The Minister of Information, Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey
on Saturday directed media houses to clear all news items on the Dagbon crises
with his Ministry before publication.
"I am
with the authority of the President serving you notice that unless you are
reporting an official release from my office you should clear any other news
items on the Dagbon affair with the Ministry," the Minister said in a
statement.
The
statement explained that under the Emergency Powers Act of 1994, the President
has powers to censor any news emanating from or about the area affected by the
state of emergency.
There is
currently a state of emergency in force in the Dagbon areas of the Northern
Region. It said news items broadcast by various stations were proving to be
highly inflammatory of the situation in Dagbon.
"Some
are totally untrue, many more are ill founded and/or ill motivated speculation
and even in some cases where the report is correct they are reports that are
calculated to inflame the situation," the statement said.
The
statement reminded all media practitioners that the calm in the North was
fragile and needed to be nurtured into peace. "This is a time to show
maturity and sense of responsibility, titillating scoops, especially when they
are wrong but even when they are right but endanger the security of the area
and the people will not help," the statement added.
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Tamale
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - The leadership of the Andani Gate in the Dagbon
chieftaincy crisis has confirmed the death of the Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II. Kumbun-Nayiri
II, a Spokesman of the Andani Gate, confirmed death at meeting with the
fact-finding Presidential Peace Mission at Tamale on Friday.
He,
however, pledged the willingness of the family to co-operate with the
government to ensure that peace was restored in the Dagbon Traditional Area.
They also lauded the government's decision to investigate the causes of the
crisis and bring the perpetrators to justice. The chiefs called on the
government to ensure that all property looted during the attack on the Ya-Na,
including skin regalia, were recovered and returned to the family.
They
accused the former Minister of the Interior Alhaji Al-Hassan Yakubu, National
Security Adviser, Lieutenant-General Joshua Hamidu (rtd) and Major Abubakari
Sulemana (rtd), Security Co-ordinator of inciting the youth against Ya-Na
Andani during a series of meetings they held with the Abudu Gate, to which they
all belonged.
"Because
they are in power they provoked violence in Dagbon by providing security to one
faction to rebel against the Ya-Na, imposed a curfew on him and had him
assassinated," the Kumbun-Nayiri charged. The Kumbun-Nayiri said under the
state of emergency in Dagbon, there were moves for further assassinations and intimidation
of the family of the Ya-Na.
He,
therefore, appealed to the government to institute measures to check such
attacks for peace to prevail in the area, adding, "we are peace-loving
people and what has happened is sad and bitter because it has been
unprecedented for the people of Dagbon to rebel against the Ya-Na."
Mr Joseph
Henry Mensah, Senior Minister, who led the five-member government delegation to
Tamale on a peace-building and reconciliation mission in the aftermath of the
fratricidal conflict, said no effort would be spared to ensure peace and
tranquillity in the Dagbon state.
"As
political leaders, we have begun the process of reconciling the people to live
peacefully together on the same soil," he said. He said the security
agencies had done their part and all would be done in the spirit of peace to
re-unite the people. Mr Mensah commended the people of Tamale for remaining
calm throughout the crisis, which have caused irreparable damage to the Dagbon
state as a whole.
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New tribal clashes over Chief's killing
Accra
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - Rival tribesmen clashed anew in northern Ghana
on Thursday over reports that a powerful chief had been slaughtered along with
about 25 of his bodyguards.
The
latest bloodshed in a long-running tribal power struggle within the Dagomba
people has escalated since Monday and the violence has forced hundreds from
their homes.
Private
radio station Joy FM quoted witnesses saying police had stepped in to end an
hour-long gun battle on Thursday between rival tribesmen in the town of Yendi,
which has been under a state of emergency since Wednesday.
The
mainly Muslim Dagomba people, who make up around eight percent of Ghana's
population of over 19 million, have been split by a power struggle ever since
the West African country's independence from Britain in 1957.
The
witnesses said the latest clashes stemmed from a dispute about whether the
traditional chief, or Ya-Na, of the Dagomba people of northern Ghana had indeed
been beheaded, as security sources said on Wednesday.
The
sources said the Ya-Na's body, together with those of around 25 bodyguards, had
been torched and his palace destroyed. But members of the Andani clan loyal to
the chief said their leader had escaped the slaughter and been spirited 50
miles to the northern provincial capital Tamale. They said it was one of the
Ya-Na's warriors who had been beheaded and they fought with rival tribesmen who
insisted the chief had indeed been slain.
Soldiers
and police reinforcements have been drafted into both towns since the violence
began on Monday. Residents said tension was mounting in Tamale over fears of
reprisals by the Andani if reports of the chief's death were confirmed.
The
entire area of Dagbon, the ancient kingdom of the Dagomba people, is under a
dusk-to-dawn curfew. The clashes began as Yendi's fire festival, known as the Bugum
festival, was due to start on Monday.
One of
Ghana's most picturesque festivals, involving a night-time display of drumming,
dancing and blazing torches, the Bugum is believed to commemorate the search
for the missing son of a previous Dagomba chief. Reuters
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President Kufuor appeals for calm in Yendi
Accra
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - President Kufuor has urged the people of Yendi
and surrounding areas who have been engaged in a week of violent clashes to
remain calm. In a televised address to the nation, the President announced that
government has initiated investigations into the matter and cautioned against
any attempt to exploit the situation.
He
assured the people of the Dagbon Traditional Area that government will assist
them to resolve the age old chieftaincy conflict which is believed to be the
cause of this week's violent clashes. The President announced that a
Ministerial team headed by Senior Minister, Joseph Henry Mensah will be in the
area to meet leaders of the communities and avert further clashes.
Meanwhile,
the Ministerial team has arrived in Tamale. The team, which is led by Senior
Minister, J. H. Mensah arrived at the Tamale Airport this morning and
immediately went into a meeting with the outgoing Northern Regional Minister,
Prince Imoro Andani and senior officers of the security agencies.
Other
members of the team are Minister of Agriculture, Major Courage Quashigah;
Information Minister, Jake Obetsebi Lamptey, Tourism Minister, Yawa Yakubu and
Local Government and Regional Development Minister, Kwadwo Baah Wiredu.
Before
the meeting, Senior Minister, J.H. Mensah told the press that the team is not
in the region to apportion blame but to find solutions to the clashes. He
assured the people that government would handle the situation dispassionately.
Reuters
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Supporters of Ya Na attack NPP property
Tamale
(Northern Region) 30 March 2002 - Supporters of the assassinated Paramount
Chief of Dagbon Traditional Area, Ya Na Yakubu Andani II have gone on rampage
in Tamale, destroying property belonging to the ruling New Patriotic Party
(NPP). This follows alleged reports that some leading members of the NPP
spearheaded the clan conflict that led to the death of their clan head.
The
dusk to dawn curfew imposed in Tamale and Yendi is being defied by the people
of the area, who engage in violent clashes during the night. Calm has
reportedly been restored to Yendi but people are still fleeing the town due to
the tense situation. Some of the fleeing vehicles were involved in an accident,
which killed at least two people and injured several others. The casualties are
not yet known since some people are buried immediately they are killed
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Two ministers resign over Yendi conflict
Accra
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - Two ministers have resigned over the feud for
power in Ghana's Northern Region where the paramount chief of the Dagomba
Traditional Area, the Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, has been confirmed killed, the
Ghana News Agency (GNA) reported.
The
minister of information and presidential affairs, Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey,
announced on Friday that the Northern Region minister, Prince Imoru Andandi and
Interior Minister Malik Al-Hassan Yakubu had resigned. President John Kufuor
has accepted the resignations "with regret and without prejudice",
GNA reported.
Both
men denied involvement in the clashes in the region's capital, Yendi, which
pitted two royal families against each other. On Thursday, Yakubu denied that
he had marshaled forces to the Abudu against the Andani group in the dispute.
"I
want to state categorically that not only are these allegations totally
unfounded and defamatory, but malicious and truly wicked," Yakubu said.
"It is worth to note that I am a close relation to the Ya-Na and we grew
up together from childhood. I could never cherish the Ya-Na killed."
The
Andani group called on Wednesday for Yakubu's resignation, the dismissal of
Yendi District chief executive Mohammed Habibu Tijani, and for the detention of
Accra businessman Aminu Amadu, for their roles in the crisis.
It
remains unclear what dispute sparked the fighting on Monday in which the chief
and several other people were killed. There had been conflicting reports of the
chief's death with the counsel for the Adani faction in the Dagbon chieftaincy
crisis, Ibrahim Mahama, telling the GNA that chief Andani was still alive. He
said hired assassins had mistakenly beheaded the wrong man.
However,
the government said Friday that Chief Andani was dead. President John Kufuor
has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the conflict area and ordered a full-scale
operation to arrest the perpetrators of the killings. He warned anyone or group
that might try to take advantage of the situation that they would be
"swiftly and decisively dealt with under the full rigours of the law".
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Security forces did nothing to avert clashes in Yendi Chiefs
Accra
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - It has now been established that fierce
fighting which started at the Ya Na's Palace last Monday persisted for three
days contrary to the denial by the outgoing Interior Minister, Alhaji Malik
Yakubu Alhassan.
It is now
clear that despite the presence of security forces at Yendi, no attempt was
made to bring the situation under control. The security forces stayed away and
made no attempt to stop the clashes between the Andani and Abudu factions
because they were not ordered to do so.
Our
Northern Regional Correspondent, Sayibu Mahama who was with a Ministerial
delegation currently on a fact finding mission quoted the Zori Na, Mahmoud
Salifu as saying that the attacks started on Monday morning when the late Ya-Na
was performing rites for the Fire festival. He said the subsequent attacks and
death of the Ya-Na, came as a shock and unexpected.
Zori Na
Salifu who represented the Andani's conceded that the late Ya-Na impressed upon
the outgoing Northern Regional Minister, Prince Andani to suspend the curfew to
make way for the necessary rites for the Fire Festival. He told the government
delegation that tension was still high in the area adding that it is only
government who can intervene in the circumstance.
The
Abudu faction for their part blamed the late Ya Na for not co-operating with
them. They also blamed the outgoing Northern Regional Minister for suspending
the curfew, which led to the attacks.
Senior
Minister, J. H. Mensah told both sides that there were no victors or losers in
the attack and called on the people to remain calm while government takes the
necessary steps to ensure peace.
The
District Chief Executive of the area, Ahmed Tijani who has been mentioned as
having contributed to the clashes was seen sobbing throughout the meeting.
Twenty-eight people have so far been confirmed dead. - Myjoyonline
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Tamale
(Northern Region) 30 March 2002 -The Northern Regional House of Chiefs has
expressed shock and dismay at the death of the Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, Overlord
of the Dagbon Traditional Area. The house said: "The demise of the Ya-Na,
King of Dagbon State is an irreparable lost."
They said:
"We, chiefs of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs condemn, in no
uncertain terms the horrific and barbaric happenings and the acts of vandalism
at Yendi." The statement said these tragic events has come at the time
that the House was spearheading a campaign to unite chiefs in the region to
evolve mechanisms for conflict resolution and help promote the socio-economic
development of the area.
The
statement, issued in Tamale on Saturday, on behalf of the Yagbon Wura, Bawa
Doshie, President of the House and the Paramount Chief of the Gonja Traditional
Area commended the government for its swift move to bring sanity in Dagbon.
The House,
however, urged the government to beef up security in Dagbon to prevent any
further loss of life and property. He expressed the hope that the government
would ensure that the culprits in the conflict would be prosecuted and
appropriate punishment meted out to them.
The House
expressed condolence to the chiefs and people of Dagbon, saying, "we
entreat all the protagonists in particular, to remain calm and give peace a
chance." "The people of Dagbon and indeed the north should let the
events of the past weeks to strengthen our resolve to unite and say no, to
carnage, mayhem, arson and all acts that retard progress and development."
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - President John A. Kufuor has stressed the need
for peace to ensure sustainable development. This was contained in a speech
read on his behalf by Paapa Owusu-Ankomah, Majority Leader and Minister of
Parliamentary Affairs, at the 73rd National Annual Convention of the Ahmadiyya
Muslim Mission at the Bustan-E-Ahmad Conference Centre, Ashongman in Accra.
The
Convention, which was attended by over four thousand members with observers
from the Christian Council, Seventh Day Adventist Church, The Catholic
Secretariat, MPs and some members of the Diplomatic Corp was under the theme,
"Promotion of World Peace: the Role of Religion".
President
Kufuor noted that ethnic, religious and political conflicts had occasionally
resulted in violence, which had claimed lives and property destroyed. "Consequently,
national security has been endangered and Government intervention to restore
law and order has been costly in terms of financial and material resources that
could have been spent on areas of critical importance to national
development," he said.
He said, in
other parts of the world, greed, domination, discrimination, injustice and
inequalities had created conflicts and expressed concern about the unjust world
trading system, "that consign a lot of countries to a life of perpetual
suffering".
"This
is where religion can play a vital role in ensuring the facilitating
peace," he said. President Kufuor said religion teaches oneness of
humanity, love, justice and compassion, which are moral values shared by most
secular laws. He said that for religion to determine the direction of mankind
towards world peace, adherents of different faiths should commit themselves to
the 'shared values".
There could
be world peace if "we can accept the centrality of God in our actions and
the fact of our accountability before Him so that when our personal interest
clashes with our religious beliefs, we should readily sacrifice our personal
beliefs for our religious belief," he said.
The
President commended the Ahmadiyya Movement for its achievements and said the
movement had since its introduction in the country in 1921 preached peace,
tolerance and co-existence with all other religions and groups.
He said the
movement had also been a partner of the Government in many social development
projects like hospitals, clinics and schools that had turned out "some of
the finest citizens of this country" and called on other religious groups
to emulate it.
Maulvi A Wahab Adam, Head of the Mission in
Ghana, called on Muslims, Christians and followers of other religions to
co-operate, work hard and promote
productive work ethics such as punctuality.
They should
cherish and guard the country's freedom by ensuring good governance and
fulfilling their responsibilities as good citizens. Maulvi Adam called on
Ghanaians to pray for peace, harmony, morality and progress for the country.
He
expressed concern about lawlessness in society and blamed the upsurge of violence
and indiscipline in schools on the INTERNET, computer games, rap music, drugs
and broken homes. "We cannot allow violence to destroy our society. If someone believes in anarchy and we let
that anarchy control us, then he is in control of us".
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - The Minister of the Interior, Alhaj Malik
Al-Hassan Yakubu, on Thursday denied charges of involvement in the Yendi
clashes describing the charges as wicked.
In a
statement issued in Accra, the Minister, who is also MP for the area, said the
fighting and the "consequent tragic loss of the Ya-Na and other people is
indeed a great tragedy not only for the people of Dagbon but Ghana as a
whole." There had been conflicting reports about the fate of the Ya-Na,
who was reported by the government to have been killed in the fighting on
Tuesday night.
Alhaj
Yakubu said, "coming from the area I am deeply saddened by the turn of
events", adding that statements, particularly from a press conference held
by the regent of Gulkpegu, blaming him for marshalling forces for one of the
factions and thus encouraging the fighting were not true. "I want to state
categorically that not only are these allegations totally unfounded and
defamatory, but malicious and truly wicked."
He said as
the Minister of the Interior, " I got a request from the Northern Regional
Security Council (Ref. SCR/NR/3/V.16) dated Friday 22nd March, 2002 asking for
a curfew to be imposed on Yendi and a ban on the celebration of the Fire
Festival to avert any possible clash between the two Gates - Andani and Abudu".
Alhaj
Yakubu said in view of the cogent reasons that the REGSEC adduced, he, upon
consultation with President John Agyekum Kufuor, directed the issuance of an
Executive Instrument dated 22nd March 2002, giving legal backing to the curfew.
This, he
said, was meant to avert any clash between the two factions. The Minister said
on Saturday, March 23, he was taken ill and had been bed-ridden till March 27. "It
should be clear that as the Minister of the Interior, in promptly taking action
to impose a curfew on Yendi and the banning of the celebration of the festival,
I acted in a manner any responsible government official would."
Alhaj
Yakubu said attempts of the regent of Gulkpegu and others to blame him were
most unfortunate and groundless adding that he would not divide his people, let
alone instigate them to fight each other.
"I, as
a person, have made strenuous efforts over the years to forge unity and cordial
relations between members of the two families in Yendi. "Indeed, I enjoyed
excellent relations with the Ya-Na and members of the Andani family just as I
have with the Abudu family.
"It is
worthy to note that I am a close relation to the Ya-Na and we grew up together
from childhood. The fact that we belong to different royal families did not
sour relations between us. I could never cherish the Ya-Na killed."
Alhaj
Yakubu said he had all along pursued and yearned for unity of the two families
and had been doing all he could to achieve that unity in Dagbon. "It is,
therefore, preposterous for anyone to accuse me of being responsible for the
conflict in Yendi.
"From
the foregoing, I have very clear conscience that as Member of Parliament forv
Yendi and the Interior Minister, I have no hand whatsoever in the unfortunate
events that have taken place in Yendi. "It is imperative for government to
investigate events leading to these tragic events nd come out with the true
facts so that Ghanaians and the world will know the truth."
The Andani
Gate in the Dagbon chieftaincy dispute on Wednesday called for the resignation
of the Minister of the Interior and the dismissal of the Yendi District Chief
Executive, Mr Mohammud Habibu Tijani for their roles in the recent Dagbon
chieftaincy crisis.
The Andani
Gate also called for the arrest and detention of Alhaji Aminu Amadu, an
Accra-based businessman. It alleged that the three were the brains behind the
recent Dagbon chieftaincy conflict between the Andani and Abudu Gates, in which
many people were killed.
Speaking at
a press conference in Tamale the regent of Gulkpegu (Tamale), Alhaji Abdulai
Ziblim, who is also the representative of the Ya-Na, said Alhaji Yakubu, Mr
Tijani and Alhaji Amadu had an agenda "to eliminate the Ya-Na by all means
possible."
He accused
the Minister of complicity in severing all communication links to Yendi adding;
"behind the facade of the so-called curfew, armed bandits from Bawku and
Diare were being transported to Yendi to accomplish their diabolical
agenda."
Alhaji
Ziblim said the Abudu faction with the support of the armed bandits besieged
the Ya-Na's palace armed with sophisticated weapons, shooting indiscriminately
throughout the night. He said the
casualty figures were much higher than the official figures and declared;
"all official announcements on the situation in Yendi are lies".
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Yendi
(Northern Region) 30 March 2002 - Mr Joseph Henry Mensah, Senior Minister, on
Friday said the visit by a Presidential Peace Mission to Yendi was part of a
peace process and not for the government to take sides in the Yendi Skin
Affair.
Addressing
separate meetings with the elders of the Andani and the Abudu Gates in Yendi,
Mr Mensah, who led the five-member team said: "Government has not taken
sides in the crisis but only sent a peace mission as part of the process to
make peace among the people.
"We
are not here to judge the case or arrest anybody, but to find out what has
happened to enable the government come out with a mechanism to stop such future
occurrence."
He said the
law would be enforced and no criminal activity would be allowed, adding that
the necessary security would be re-enforced to protect life and property but
not to hunt for anyone.
Accompanying
the Senior Minister were Mr Jake Obetsebi-Lamptey, Minister of Information and
Presidential Affairs, Mr Kwadwo Baah-Wiredu, Minister of Local Government and
Rural Development, Major Courage Quashigah, Minister of Food and Agriculture
and Madam Hawa Yakubu, Minister of Tourism.
The Senior
Minister said it was tragic and a great calamity that Yendi, the traditional
capital of the Dagbon State, should experience such violence with so many
casualties and conveyed President Kufuor's condolences to the bereaved
families.
At least 28
people, by official count, were reported killed in three days of fighting. The
Paramount Chief of the Dagbon State, the Ya-Na, was assassinated. Twenty-one people received injuries and nine
of them were still on admission at the Yendi District Hospital.
The Zohe
Na, Mahmmoudu Salifu, spokesman for the Andani Gate, said peace could only
prevail when a third party listened to their version of the crisis, but the
situation was still tense and they were confused because they did not envisage
such crisis.
He said
they were preparing to celebrate the Bugum Festival when the curfew was imposed
without the knowledge of the late Ya-Na, who had to make enquiries with the
former Northern Regional Minister, Prince Imoro Andani, then on a visit to
Yendi adding that after negotiations the celebrations continued.
The Zohe Na
said in the process of the Koran recitation and the slaughtering of a cow on
Monday, March 25, for the celebrations to begin gunshots were heard. "We
therefore stopped and remained indoors while the shooting continued. Then we had information that Ya-Na Andani
had been killed."
Iddrissu
Mba Dugu, Chief Linguist of the regent of the Abudu Gate, Abdulai Mahammadu,
said for some time, his faction had not been allowed to celebrate any
traditional festival although they all belonged to the Dagbon State.
He said
with the assistance of the former Northern Regional Minister, Prince Andani,
they celebrated the Muslim festival of Eid-Ul-Adha this year. Iddrissu Mba Dugu
said they were also in the process of celebrating the Bugum Festival when they
heard gunshots that continued for three days, a situation that had been
unprecedented in the history of the Dagbon State.
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Alleged plot against journalists is a storm in a teacup - Mumuni
Accra
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - The minority spokesman on legal and
constitutional affairs, Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni says the alleged sinister threat
to harass and possibly eliminate certain journalists and social commentators is
a storm in a teacup and a political gimmick to take people's minds off the NPP
government's blunders in the case of Tsatsu Tsikata vs. the Republic.
"Really,
it is a matter we need to get more information on to ensure what is really
happening. I believe that it's a storm in a teacup, certainly, it is a storm in
a teacup, I don't think there is something to it, it is one of those political
gimmicks, I believe on the part of this government," he pointed out.
"Yes,
really they want to turn away attention from this Supreme Court thing," he
added, in an interview with the Dean of Faculty of Arts, Professor Kwesi Yankah
on a Radio Universe current affairs programme, "Alumni hour."
Mumuni
who is also MP for Kumbungu reiterated that freedom of expression is paramount
in Ghana's democracy, adding that "if it is really credible that any such
threats had been issued, then we should go to the bottom of the matter and we
should not rest until we have looked for whoever is involved."
"If
they are criminal offences they (plotters) should be prosecuted clearly, we
cannot countenance this sort of situation," the MP for Kumbungu said. The
NDC strongman said he was surprised that though there were serious allegations
and statements made against ex-president Rawlings during his time, it never
resulted in threats to eliminate journalists.
"Even
more serious allegations, more serious statements against president Rawlings
were made, screaming headlines, 'Rawlings is mad and... but there were no
threats to eliminate journalists," Mumuni submitted.
Rawlings'
man accused of coup plot a former bodyguard of former president Rawlings, WO II
Imoro Salifu has been arrested by security agencies in Ghana on suspicion of
plotting a coup d'tat.
"After
my arrest they told me some people are planning to overthrow the government and
they suspect me to be one of them. I told them I don't know any people who are
planning a coup d'tat. Yes I was once the former president's bodyguard...the
fact is I'm NDC, I won't hide that one," Imoro said when he spoke to
journalists after his release by the Bureau of National Investigations (BNI).
Imoro's
arrest has meanwhile been linked to the alleged plot to eliminate Dr. Obed
Asamoah, a leading member of his own party, the NDC and the plot to physically
attack two journalists in the country, according to a Daily Guide report.
Salifu
recalled that as a close associate of former president Rawlings, he helped to
stage the 1979 coup using two companies including the 4 BN, the newspaper said.
According to him, he was interrogated extensively by five officials of the BNI
and later released on bail, and asked to be reporting to the Ashanti Regional
offices of the BNI.
The
ex-bodyguard was reportedly picked up around 4.30 am last Monday in Kumasi
after 20 heavily armed soldiers, and two BNI operatives stormed his house. The
Ashanti Regional branch of the NDC has meanwhile, queried the rationale behind
the arrests an invitation of two notable members of the party in the region.
The two are WO II Salifu and Alhaji Awudu Ali Abubakar, a former Ashanti
Regional organizer of the party.
Alhaji
Abubakar according to a Daily Guide report was asked to report to the BNI in
Accra. Reasons were however not given. However, his lawyers who were informed
of his invitation have threatened to seek legal action to question the
harassment of their client, which they claim, was anathema to the 1992
Constitution.
The
Ashanti Regional branch of the party has described the arrest and invitation as
a calculated attempt to intimidate followers of the NDC. "We've gone
through an election, one party own, and another lost. It's therefore absurd for
the incumbent party, which is expected to protect and support the other, to
rather behave this way," the party said citing the arrest and invitation
of the two to support their fears.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - The decision to close the La Beach for a few
more days was reached after the various stakeholders considered the inadequate
safety measures at the place, the National Security Council said on Friday.
An official
statement issued in Accra said the National Security Council, the Ministry of
Tourism, the La Traditional Council and the La Youth took the decision at a
meeting on March 27, after a representative of the Ghana Navy had thoroughly
briefed them on safety measures that needed to be installed at the beach.
The meeting
also highlighted concerns about the safety of swimmers and other visitors to
the beach in view of recent drowning and attacks on tourists, the statement
said. The parties, according to the
statement, regretted any inconvenience that the closure of the beach might
cause to the public.
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Accra
(Greater Accra) 30 March 2002 - The Speaker of Parliament, Mr Peter Ala Adjetey
has emphasised the need for Members of Parliament (MPs) to consider initiating
bills on private members' motions in Parliament as an added dimension to the
work of the House.
Mr Adjetey
made the comment at a special forum with staff of the Ghana High Commission in
London, a statement from the Commission said on Friday said. The Speaker
underscored the importance of discipline in every facet of national life and
called on the members of staff to let that spirit permeate all their
activities.
The forum
was organised at the instance of Mr Isaac Osei, Ghana's High Commissioner to the
United Kingdom, to enable the members of staff to acquaint themselves with
current developments at home.
Panel
members at the special forum were Paapa Owusu-Ankomah, the Majority Leader and
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Mr Alban Bagbin, the Minority Leader and Mr
Kwabena Okercheri, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee of
Parliament.
The others
were Mr Kofi Attoh, MP for Ho Central and Ranking Member of the Select
Committee on Foreign Affairs, Mr Osei Kyei Mensah-Bonsu, the Majority
Chief Whip
and Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketiah, MP for Wenchi West and the Minority Spokesman on
Food and Agriculture.
Paapa
Owusu-Ankomah described the level of co-operation between the Majority and the
Minority as very healthy and added that the situation had augured well for the
development and enhancement of the country's democracy.
He said
Parliamentarians on both sides of the House remained committed to the
development of the principles of democratic culture. He said in spite of the
heated debates on the floor of the House on issues, Parliament had performed
creditably during the year although there was room for improvement.
Mr Bagbin
said the duty of the Minority to put the government on its toes should not be
misconstrued as an attempt to pull down the government. The forum provided the
opportunity for the panel members to comment, discuss and answer questions on a
wide range of national issues.
Subjects
covered included the implementation of the Dual Citizenship Law; the
participation of Ghanaians abroad in the 2004 elections and the rehabilitation
of the Job 600 complex to be used as offices for MPs. Others were duties on
importation of vehicles into Ghana and the introduction of various initiatives
to improve the performance of the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre.
It was
suggested that duties on new vehicles should be reduced in order to encourage
Ghanaians to buy them. The purchase of new vehicles, it was pointed out, would
save the nation a lot of foreign exchange used in the importation of spare
parts, cut down the consumption of fuel and improve the air-quality in the
country.
The High
Commissioner said the battle for socio-economic development was ongoing and
stressed the need for Ghanaians to join the crusade that would create wealth
for all.
He noted
that the government would continue to reach out to all Ghanaians in pursuance
of it's policy of inclusiveness in order to bring on board all identifiable
talents for national development.
GRi../
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