Yendi (N/R), Jan. 24, GNA - Alhaji Mohammed Tijani, Yendi District Chief Executive, has said that the time was now ripe for the burial of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II, the late overlord of Dagbon, as both the Andanis and the Abudus are willing to see the King laid to rest.

He said: "The Andanis and Abudus in the Yendi Township are now interacting and co-operating more than before, especially at social gatherings and other activities".

"Both the Andanis and the Abudus are talking positively about the Ya-Na's burial. This is a sign of positive sincerity among the people. "This has been made possible through the efforts of the traditional authorities, Imams, the Clergy, and civil society organisations, which have been complementing government's efforts through mediation and dialogue," he said.

Alhaji Tijani was briefing the Director-General of Police Operations, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Kofi Boachie, on the security situation in Yendi on Monday.

Mr Boachie is on a two-day official tour of police units in conflict areas of the Northern Region.

The tour took him to Salaga and Makango in the East Gonja District, Chamba and Bimbilla in the Nanumba North District and Yendi in the Yendi District where he interacted with personnel of the Ghana Police Service on peacekeeping mission in those areas.

Alhaji Tijani told Mr Boachie that outsiders were fanning the Dagbon crisis and misleading the people to derail the peace process. "These outsiders should spare the people the peace and stop issuing press statements and releases, which often aggravate the situation and cause disunity among the people," he said.

ACP Boachie suggested to the Yendi District Security Committee to consider forming a community safety committee involving the Andanis and Abudus to secure the prevailing peace in the area.

He assured the people of the co-operation and preparedness of the Police Administration to provide maximum security during the burial of the Ya-Na and appealed to the people to be accommodating, saying: "Conflicts should serve as positive impetus for development and not for destruction".

At Bimbilla, Mr Boachie warned that people who hid under the cover of the conflict to cause crime would be dealt with according to law and urged the police to handle the Bimbilla crisis in a professional manner by being fair and firm.

ACP Boachie inspected an uncompleted Police Station block at Chamba and interacted with the personnel some of whom were living in a dilapidated building.

Mr Salifu Saeed, Nanumba North District Chief Executive, urged the people to harness their human and natural resources to improve their living conditions and stop fighting among themselves. He commended the security personnel for maintaining the peace and appealed to the people to co-operate with them to sustain peace. 24 Jan. 06