Regional News of Monday, 19 October 2009

Source: GNA

NSOC 12

Social North Peace Peace Council commends Northern residents for maintaining peace

Tamale, Oct. 18, GNA - Reverend Father Thaddeus Kuusah Chairman of Northern Regional Peace Advisory Council (NORPAC), has commended residents of the region for continuously maintaining peace in the area despite minor misunderstandings among some people.

He urged the people to remain calm and resolute since the mediation team led by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Ashantehene, handling the Dagbon crisis, had almost reached an amicable settlement of the dispute. Rev. Father Kuusah was addressing a stakeholder's forum for various grouping in the Tamale Metropolis on Saturday. The forum, which gave participants the opportunity to express their views on the peace situation in the region, also aimed at reviewing the situation and to plan towards ensuring lasting peace. Rev. Father Kuusah announced that the United Nations Development Programme would start a programme in January next year to provide jobs for the people in Tamale, Yendi, Wa and Bawku areas to prevent them from engaging in conflicts since unemployment and poverty partly contributed to conflicts there.

He urged the people to support security agencies working to restore peace in the area and avoid creating violence and cautioned that "The law would surely come after the law breakers". Participants at the forum decided that they would not allow politicians to use the people for any conflict and appealed to government to create more jobs to prevent the people from engaging in conflicts.