Accra, May 7, GNA - The National Security Council Secretariat on Thursday said role of the security agencies in the Ga Gbese Chiefiancy dispute was in compliance with a specific court order to ensure law and order in the area.

It has therefore advised all parties to desist from any misinformation and mischief and rather cooperate with the security agencies to maintain law and order.

This was contained in a statement issued in Accra by the Public Information Department of National Security Council in reaction to media publications attributed to Nii Okaidja III in which he accused the security agencies of interfering in the dispute. It said "Nii Okaidja in statements to the press and public pronouncements on the issue, mischievously sought to create the wrong impression that the security agencies have overstepped their bounds in the performance of their lawful duties of protecting life and property". The statement said the security agencies had subsequently held constructive discussions with the two factions to find common ground in the Wulomei and arrived at an amicable solution to the problem for the Ga State to celebrate the Homowo Festival in peace. It said based on information received that land guards from Nima and Ashaiman had been hired by Nii Okaidja and kept at the Gbese Palace, an armed conflict between them and the Wulomei was eminent in relation to the performance of traditional rites by the Wulomei. The statement said to pave the way for the celebration of this year's Homowo Festival, policemen from the National Security Secretariat Operations room moved into the palace and picked up 18 persons from Gbese for screening.

It said the screening indicated that the people Nii Okaidja claimed to be his Asafo were not Gas, but from different ethnic groups and some of them were on the police criminals list. 7 May 09