The New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, Hon. Hawa Yakubu has stated that President J.A. Kufour, is in constant touch with the people of the troubled Dagbon State.

She observed that though the President has not been to the place since the trouble shot up there, he is always in touch with the people through phone calls and other means. Hon. Hawa Yakubu made these observations in Parliament during the extension of the State of Emergency in the Dagbon area. The MP said this, following the call by Hon. Dr. Kwabena Adjei, National Democratic Congress (NDC) MP for Biakoye that the President should visit the area to ensure peace there. Dr. Adjei argued that a father of the nation, the President’s visit to the place will ensure a lasting peace there. He argued further that if government could not handle the Dagbon crisis alone, it should fall one experts in the country to find lasting solution to the crisis.

Dr. Kwabena Adjei stated that they did not need UN expects to solve the problem there. He maintained that the Wuaku Commission, like many other reports in the country, have not been acted upon by government though the President has promised acting swiftly upon it as soon as it was released. Hon. Yakubu observed that the situation in the area does not call for the President’s visit now. She explained that looking at the trauma and pain in which the people find themselves, it will not be politically expedient for the President to go there. Hon. Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufour, Minister of Defence and Ag. Minister for the Interior pointed out that the President receives a lot of advice from the security agents there and will subsequently go there at the appropriate time. He stated that government is undertaking a lot of measures, most of which cannot be mentioned in the open to ensure peace in the area.

Dr. Addo-Kufour pointed out that conditions which call for the extension of the State of Emergency are still around. Therefore, the House should extend it once more for one month starting from December 16, 2002. He mentioned some of these reasons as suspicion, tension and lack of understanding between the two gates. Hon. Dan Abodakpi, NDC MP for Keta noted that suspicion and tension, being the main source of the extension had been deeply rooted there. He suggested that a holistic approach should be given to the conflict so that a permanent solution returns there. He observed that huge sums of money which could have been used for development has been spent on the conflict. It should therefore be solved once and for all, since it can affect the whole nation. Hon. D.Y. Mensah, NDC MP for Atebubu pointed out that the extension was justified, looking at the situation there. He urged government to find out the cause of the problem and find a lasting solution to it.

Hon. C.O. Nyanor, MP for Upper Denkyira urged the people to do away with suspicion. The Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Nana Akufo-Addo stated that government was in firm control of events in Yendi and was doing everything possible to restore final peace there. He said looking at the dicey nature of the situation. It should be worked at meticulously. Nana Akufo-Addo pointed out that all measures being taken to solve the problem there are justifiable. He noted that many of them cannot be mentioned publicly. The Attorney-General emphasised that the President is deeply and personally committed to ensuring that peace returns to Yendi.