FACT-FINDING COMMITTEE PRESENTS REPORT ON CHEREPONI VIOLENCE

The seven-member committee setup to investigate the recent violence that erupted in Chereponi and parts of the Saboba Districts between the Anufor and Konkombas has presented its report to the Minister for the Interior in Accra.

 
The Committee, set-up and inaugurated by the Minister for the Interior, Mr. Ambrose Dery, on 10^th January, 2019 in Tamale, following renewed violent clashes between the two ethnic groups, was to identify the remote and immediate causes of the 1^st January, 2019 conflict between the Anufors and Konkombas.

It was also to delve into any matter incidental to the conflict; and make appropriate recommendations.

Chairman of the fact-finding committee, Patrick Kwarteng  Acheampong, a former Inspector-General of Police, who presented the report noted that, the violent clashes that erupted between an otherwise  peacefully coexisting ethnic communities came as a surprise and prayed such occurrence would not happened again.

The Northern Regional Minister, Salifu Saeed, on his part commended the two ethnic groups for their collaboration and cooperation to the fact-finding Committee. He used the occasion to appeal to philanthropic individuals and institutions to come to aid of the affected victims in the communities.

Receiving the report on behalf of the ministry, Interior Minister, Mr. Ambrose, on behalf of the President of the Republic of Ghana, thanked the Committee for the zeal and commitment with which they worked and assured them that the recommendations professed would be implemented to ensure that sanity is restored among the two factions.

He noted that, with the restoration of the Dagbon Kingdom and considering the relatively new-found peace in the Northern Region, the Ministry was more motivated to engage with the National and Regional Peace Councils and other relevant stakeholders to deal with all areas with pending curfews.

The Members of the Committee included AC Paul K. Ahiakpor (Northern Regional Commander, Customs Divisions of the Ghana Revenue Service), Fr. Thaddeus Kuusah (Executive Secretary, Northern Regional Peace Council), and Rev. Kofi James Azumah (Anufor Representative)

The others are Mr. Jagri Yakpir Joshua (Konkomba Representative), Mr. Francis A. Asobayire Esq. (Assistant State Attorney) and Miss. Eva A. Atogiba ( Northern Regional Coordinating Council).