Accra, April 1, GNA - Former First Lady; Nana Konadu Agyeman Rawlings, on Thursday noted that the people of Dagbon deserve peace and unity and that cannot be achieved if the murderers of the Ya-na are not identified and prosecuted. She stressed that the nation must appreciate the need to identify and prosecute those behind the Ya- Na's death to the satisfaction of all parties.

A statement issued by Nana Agyeman Rawlings in Accra said: "Recent developments coming out of our courts are worrying and explanations made out in some judgements have left all Ghanaians in a quandary. "More disappointing is the fact that the latest sequence of events is due to the failure of the current government to honour its campaign promise of instituting a credible re-investigation into the events and circumstances surrounding that dastardly act of March 2002."

Nana Agyeman Rawlings, also the President of the 31 December Women's Movement and a Deputy Chairperson of the ruling National Democratic Congress said it was of public knowledge that a lot of statements by witnesses were shelved, doctored or ignored during the initial investigations into the matter. She said the institution of a new investigation would offer the opportunity for the facts to come out so that credible grounds for a re-trial could be pursued.

"The National Democratic Congress was borne out of the pursuit of freedom, justice, probity and accountability. We have a responsibility to the people of Dagbon and Ghanaians, to expose the wrongs of the past and practice governance that instils a sense of trust and confidence in the people.

"The government needs to urgently review information available to it and establish a credible and independent Commission of Inquiry to thoroughly re-investigate the Ya Na's demise, so that all the information that was withheld during the previous investigation will be exposed.

"I am pleading with all parties in Dagbon to exercise restraint and allow true justice to be served. "I seize this opportunity to express my condolences to the family of the deceased who fell during the recent unrest," she said. 1 April 11