Tamale, June 10, GNA - Lt.-Col. Omane-Agyekum, the Commanding Officer of the Sixth Infantry Battalion in Tamale, has urged the two Chieftaincy Gates in Dagbon not to attempt to involve the security forces in any chieftaincy dispute in the area.
He observed that it had been the tendency of either the "Andanis" or the "Abudus" to allege that the military had taken sides, favouring one side against the other and explained that the main purpose of the security forces in Yendi was to maintain peace and security in the area. Lt-Colonel Omane-Agyekum made the call at a meeting between the Northern Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and some chiefs and representatives of the two Gates in Tamale to deliberate on bringing back the peace process on track after last week's disturbances between some youth at Salinkpan and Yendi.
The Commanding Officer said the security forces were in Yendi to provide security and they would therefore, not allow any group of people to take over the Palace or attack anyone.
Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, former Northern Regional Minister and Chairman of the REGSEC said recent events after the inauguration of the Council of Elders indicated that some "forces" were trying to derail the peace process.
He urged the members of the Council of Elders not to allow any perception to derail the peace process, saying that some people who were profiting from the Dagbon crisis were not happy about the peace moves and were therefore whipping up sentiments to stall efforts being made.
Alhaji Boniface noted that since its inauguration the Council of Elders had not met and called on them to meet as early as possible to make their contributions to the peace process.
He asked the Kumbu-Na, Iddi Abu and the Kowrli-Lana, Mahama Mahama to initiate moves to bring the other members of the Council of Elders together to meet the Kuga-Na and resolve their differences if there were any.
Both the Kumbu-Na and the Kowrli-Lana agreed to work together to facilitate the peace process and blamed the youth for the unfortunate incidents, which he said could threaten the process and promised to talk to them.