General News of Wednesday, 14 July 2004

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NRC Not To Reconcile Nation - Dr. Attafuah

The Executive Secretary of the NRC, Dr. Ken Attafuah has said that it was not the intention of the Act establishing the NRC that the NRC would reconcile the nation.

The Executive Secretary of the NRC, Dr. Ken Attafuah, speaking on Joy 99.7FM's current affairs discussion programme, Newsfile, last Saturday said that nowhere in Act 611 is it stated that the NRC was to reconcile the nation.

According to Dr. Attafuah, it is only "hoped" that reconciliation would be achieved when the recommendations of the Commission are implemented.

National Youth Organiser of the NDC, Haruna Iddrisu, was most unequivocal in his assessment of the hearing process as a huge failure. He cited the widely noted bias of the NRC Chairman, Justice Amoah Sekyi, against persons connected the NDC and his rather unconciliatory attitude towards such persons as having worked against reconciliation. He described aspects of the NRC hearings as TV theatre.

Haruna Iddrisu was however full of praise for certain members of the NRC, particularly Bishop Palmer Buckle, who he said have managed to maintain a certain balance.