Kumasi, Aug 30, GNA- All zonal offices of the National Reconciliation Commission (NRC) will close down at the end of August 2003.

This will be in line with the provision of the law establishing the Commission, which gave it one year to complete its work. Mr Sampson Amofa-Krah, Kumasi Zonal Manager of the NRC who disclosed this to the GNA on Saturday, said however, that the President could extend its mandate for another six months if there was the need to do so.

He said from September last year to date, the zonal office received 981 cases and noted that it was quite remarkable considering the total number of petitions received nationwide.

Mr Amofa-Krah hinted that though the zonal offices will be closed, the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD) was trying to put in place a "victim mobilisation squad" that will try to locate people in the communities who were not able to their petitions to the zonal offices. He said the CDD will help such people to get to Accra to have their cases registered and heard.

To this end, Mr Amofa-Krah said the CDD has already held sensitisation programmes at Asante-Mampong and Bekwai in the Sekyere West and Amansie East Districts and will go to Akim-Oda and Somanya in the Eastern Region next week.

He explained that the second coming of the Commission to Kumasi was to specifically give petitioners in the Brong-Ahafo and Upper West regions, who could not testify during sittings in Kumasi and Tamale the opportunity to have their cases heard.

He said the Regional Co-ordinating Councils in Sunyani and Wa have, therefore, been asked to announce the second sitting for those concerned to check their names and get down to Kumasi on Monday, September 8 for briefing before the hearing starts on Tuesday, September 9.