THE six districts of the Northern Region have lost almost 120 teachers, representing 30 per cent of the teaching staff in the primary and junior secondary schools in the area, since the Dagbon conflict erupted in March last year.

The Minister of Defence and acting Minister of the Interior, Dr Kwame Addo Kufuor who stated this in Parliament yesterday, said American Peace Corps volunteers at the Yendi Secondary School, who left during the conflict, have not returned.

He said apart from the teachers, other professionals, such as nurses, doctors, pharmacists and senior civil servants, are reluctant to work in the area.

Dr Addo-Kufuor, who is also the NPP member for Manhyia stated this in a resolution for the extension of the state of emergency in the Dagbon Traditional Area in Parliament yesterday.

All 119 members present at yesterday?s sitting voted in favour of the resolution to extend the state of emergency in the area for one more month, commencing from March 18, this year.

The curfew imposed on the area has, however, been reviewed from 10.00 pm to 4.00 am to 12 midnight to 4.00 am with effect from yesterday.

The state of emergency was first imposed on March 27, 2002, following the violence in Yendi on March 25, last year, which led to the death of Ya-Na Yakubu Andani II and many others.

The state of emergency has since been extended on a monthly basis.

The minister spoke about a meeting held with the Andani Family in Tamale, which was moderated by the UNDP Resident Co-ordinator, Mr Albert Salia Fawundu, as part of efforts towards achieving peace in Dagbon and said the family reiterated the need for the perpetrators of the criminal acts to be identified, apprehended and dealt with according to the laws of the land.

He said it was also acknowledged that the search for lasting peace in Dagbon should be based on adherence to established norms, culture and traditions Contributing to the debate on the resolution, Mr S.O. Darko-Mensah (NPP, Ga North) said he is happy that the people of Dagbon are responding positively to the peace overtures and urged them to continue to do so to ensure lasting peace.

Lt Col (rtd) C.K. Agbenaza (NDC, Ketu South) said the situation in Dagbon calls for a permanent detachment of the security services in Yendi to give confidence to the people and guarantee their security.

Mr M.A. Seidu (NDC, Wa Central), stressed the importance to give both feuding factions a fair treatment to remove any erroneous impression in the minds of any of the gates in the interest of peace.

Alhaji Muhammad Mumuni (NDC, Kumbumgu) said there is a reservoir of information such as the reports of various commissions and committees of enquiry on the Dagbon crisis which are available to help government's peace initiatives.

Mr S.K. Balado-Manu (NPP, Ahafo-Ano South) said it is obvious that nobody can solve the Dagbon crisis better than the people themselves and advised them to come together and smoke the peace pipe.

The Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Papa Owusu-Ankoma, said the government considers the extension not as a punishment being imposed on the people but an action which is in the interest of peace and tranquillity in the area.