Tamale, Feb. 19, GNA - The Northern Regional Security Committee (REGSEC) has appealed to the media to be circumspect in their reportage to prevent any state of insecurity in the region, especially in the Tamale Metropolis. The REGSEC has, therefore, called for greater co-operation between the security agencies and the media to promote peace and security to ensure accelerated socio-economic development of the region.

The Committee made the appeal at a meeting with the media, aimed at finding a common ground to collaborate in the pursuit of peace and security in the region, following two days of clashes between supporters of the NDC and NPP in the Metropolis. One person died, four others sustained various degrees of injury and a number of houses and other property were destroyed during the clashes. Ten suspects, who are in police custody, are expected to be prosecuted on Thursday (today). The clashes were said to have been sparked off by utterances of a guest of a talk show programme, at a local FM station.

Opening the meeting, Mr Joseph Dasana, the Regional Coordinating Director, said the security agencies had managed to bring the situation under normalcy, but intimated that there was still an uneasy calm and the media should, therefore, be circumspect in their reportage so as not to inflame passions among the people. The Deputy Northern Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) P.K. Sarpong, acknowledged the important role the media was playing in national development and mentioned especially the efforts of the media in the region in ensuring a peaceful general election last December.

ACP Sarpong said the media was an important part of national security and implored it to join forces with the security agencies to promote and sustain peace in the region, especially in the Tamale Metropolis. "We will strengthen security patrols to ensure that people in the Metropolis go about their duties without any fear or danger," he said.