The Metropolitan Chief Executive for Tamale, Hon. Sule Salifu, has admonished feuding factions in Yong Dakpemyili, a suburb of Tamale, to resort to laid-down procedures and the courts for redress.
The mayor said the recurring violence and conflict is denting the image of Tamale, and all parties must respect the Traditional Authority of Dagbon and the law courts and let peace prevail in the community.
The mayor’s comments come weeks after a renewed gunbattle in the area claimed one life, leaving several lives in danger during a sporadic gunshot.
At the 4th session of the Assembly Meeting, some assembly members raised concerns about the continued violence in the community and demanded from both the Municipal Security Committee and the Regional Security Council that they ensure that the protagonists are arrested and prosecuted.
Assembly Member for Fosheegu Electoral Area, Baba Ibrahim and his colleague for Sagnarigu-Dungu Electoral Area Alhassan Imoro expressed their unhappiness about what they described as a lack of commitment by the security to find a lasting solution to Yong Dakpemyili.
“The vulnerable people have been leaving the area and accusing their representatives of doing nothing”, Mr. Baba lamented.
But the Metropolitan Chief Executive for Tamale, Hon. Sule, stated in a response that the assembly said the security cannot determine who is a chief in the community because it is not their mandate. MUSEC, he said, has met some prominent paramount chiefs over the issue and pleaded with them to find a lasting solution to it.
He explained that REGSEC met with the chiefs, including the Bavum chief, Nanton Naa Mahamadu Bawa, and the Lamashegu chief.
He said the King of Dagbon is expected to convene a meeting during the Dagbon Traditional Council meeting to set up a committee to find a lasting solution for the community.
“The consequence of war doesn’t affect only one individual, and we should learn to live in peace. I have always told chiefs here that the Bolga chieftaincy dispute is in court; that’s why the courts are there. If there is a dispute, go to court. At Yong Dakpemyili, when the fight became intense, somebody left his G3 gun and ran away. We complain of poverty and yet have money to buy guns. Let us use the laydown structures; the law courts are there, and they can deal with traditional matters and sit on them so that MUSEC can act on the judgment of the courts. Without that, I’m afraid we will continue to complain about the violence attacks at Yong Dakpemyili, and it is going to affect not just one person or a group, but other groups as well. Let’s commend the security at least for how they have managed the situation”. Hon. Sule stated.
Source; Mohammed Ibrahim, ZaaaNews.com