Bolgatanga, Jan. 27, GNA - The outgoing Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Mahami Salifu on Thursday called on residents of Gonno and Torsin near Zuarungu, who fled communal violence in the area to return. He has also directed that the local primary and junior secondary schools should re-open for academic work.

Mr Salifu made the call when he led some members of the Regional Security Committee (REGSEC) to the affected communities to assess the situation on the ground.

He reassured the residents of their safety, saying the security personnel deployed in the area were in firm control of the situation. The Acting Minister announced that REGSEC had appointed a five-member committee chaired by Mr Philip Zongo-Na, the officer in charge of the Navrongo Prisons, to investigate the cause of the conflict and to come out with recommendations to resolve it amicably.

Mr Salifu had earlier paid courtesy calls on the Tongo-Rana Kwadan Tii, Paramount Chief of Talensi Traditional Area and the Chief of Tongo-Beong, Naba Nabiu Anaba, where he urged the feuding factions to exercise restraint and allow the Committee to delve into the matter.

The Regional Police Commander, MR. J.K. Yali, urged residents of the area to cooperate with the police in the course of their investigations.

Last Saturday, January 22, 26 houses were vandalised following a land dispute between the Chief of Tongo-Beong and his supporters and residents of Zuarungu-Gonno and Torsin.

Eight people who sustained cutlass wounds were treated and discharged at the Bolgatanga Central Hospital, while property including foodstuff, household utensils, bicycles, radio-cassette recorders and other personal effects valued at millions of cedis were destroyed.