Regional News of Saturday, 28 December 2002

Source: GNA

Upper West NPP smoke peace pipe

The bitterness and rancor that hit the Upper West regional branch of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), have finally been resolved.

This followed a week of reconciliatory meetings held with the different factions at Wa by a delegation from the national leadership of the party.

In a statement read at a news conference at Wa on Saturday to seal the settlement, the Regional Chairman of the party, Alhaji Abudulai Issahaque regretted that the acrimony disturbed all peace loving people in the region as well as members and supporters of the party nation-wide.

While welcoming all the disgruntled members back into the main stream of the party, he appealed to all other members to sink their differences and live together as one people to enable them to plan for the next general elections.

"We are happy today that these things have come to pass and the members of the party have come back stronger than ever", he said in the statement read for him by, Mr Abu Ibraihim Tamaa, Assistant Regional Secretary of the party.

The party chairman said, henceforth, the name "TALIBAN", which is associated with Islamic militants in Afghanistan should not be associated with any group in the interest of peace and harmony in the party.

He called on party members throughout the country to emulate the Upper West branch by breaking all factional barriers and unite behind the party's leadership to build a strong and vibrant party that would stand the test of time.

Mr Sahanun Mogtari, the Regional Minister appealed to party members to study the party's constitution and respect its laws and regulations.