Fresh state of emergency in Dagbon

PARLIAMENT has unanimously voted in favour of a resolution to declare a fresh state of emergency in the Dagbon Traditional Area.

The resolution was carried by 155 votes, with none against and no absention.

The declaration of the state of emergency shall, in pursuance of provisions of the Constitution, continue to be in force until the expiration of a period of three months, beginning with the date of its approval by the House until it decides by a resolution to revoke the said declaration in accordance with provisions of the Constitution.

The Minority NDC members, who initially argued against the declaration, voted in favour of the resolution after a 30-minute caucus meeting.

The President, acting on the advice of the Council of State on the state of affairs in the Dagbon Traditional Area, by the State of Emergency (Specified Area) Proclamation, 2003 published in Gazette No. 18 dated April 17, 2003 declared a state of emergency in the traditional area.

The House was recalled from recess to decide on the proclamation in fulfilment of a Constitutional requirement which stipulates that Parliament shall decide whether the Proclamation published in the Gazette, should remain in force or should be revoked, within 72 hours after being so notified.

The President declared a fresh state of emergency in the Dagbon Traditional Area on April 17, following the inability of Parliament to pass a resolution to have the state of emergency in the area extended.

The resolution gained 88 votes with 73 against it. However, it needed 100 or more votes to pass through as required by the Standing Orders of the House.

The Majority NPP members attended yesterday?s sitting in full to enable them secure the required 100 votes to carry the resolution through in case they did not get the support of their colleagues on the Minority side.

When the First Deputy Speaker and CPP member for Ellembelle, Mr Freddie Blay, gave the Minister of the Interior, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman the floor to move the resolution, the Majority Chief Whip and NDC member for Avenor, Mr E.K.D Adjaho, quoted portions of the Standing Orders and said since the House has already taken a decision on the issue on April 15, it needs a substantive motion to rescind the earlier decision before the minister can move the resolution.

This brought the Deputy Majority Leader and NPP member for Tema West, Mr Abraham Ossei Aidoo to his feet. He explained that the member has misinterpreted the Standing Orders because the question that was asked on April 15 is different from the proclamation that was being considered by the House.

Mr Adjaho took the floor against and said the issue of the state of emergency at Dagbon whether by a Proclamation or not, is the same and that there was nothing new. Mr Blay, however, overruled the objection and asked the minister to move the resolution.

Moving the resolution, the Minister of the Interior and NPP member for New Juaben North, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, recalled that on March 14 2003 the then acting Minister of the Interior Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, presented a resolution to the House for an extension of the state of emergency in Dagbon for one more month.

He said the submission and argument made then and now are still relevant, adding that unfortunately the House failed to approve the extension.

He said the President, in declaring a fresh state of emergency in area a week ago acted based on security reports that it was the only way to sustain the current tranquility and build it into a durable and assuring peace in the area.

Mr Owusu-Agyeman said the traditional area may be currently enjoying relative peace, but it must be acknowledged that ?the situation there is still fluid and fragile and needs to be properly handled and managed.?

He said the relative peace in the area is the result of painstaking efforts by the government, and people of goodwill, whose efforts have been greatly assisted by the state of emergency, at building peace among the factions and the people.

He said consultations are currently at advanced and delicate stages especially after the Akosombo and Tamale consultative meetings, adding that ?it is only fair to give lasting peace a chance by continuing with the structures that have so far facilitated the process.

The Interior Minister emphasised that the action of the President seeking to impose a fresh state of emergency is completely within his constitutional mandate and that ?this is a fresh proclamation and not an extension of the original proclamation which the House failed to extend.

He said the state of emergency would strengthen the hands of the security agencies to act with dispatch to maintain peace.

Mr Joseph Darko-Mensah, Chairman of the Committee of the Interior and NPP member for Okaikwei North, seconded the motion and appealed to the members to support the resolution.

Dr Benjamin Kunbuor (NDC, Lawra/Nandom Nandom) said it is unfortunate that the issue in the conflict area has been divided along partisan lines and the real suffering of the people has been reduced to an NPP/NDC affair.

He said fundamental human rights are being sacrificed for law and order, stressing that the government cannot use the state of emergency as the only basis for maintaining peace, unless it has a different agenda.

He said the arms of government are not having mutual respect and that the Executive is not respecting the Legislature stressing that Parliament ?has been treated with the highest level of contempt.?

Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor the Minister of Defence and the former acting Minister of the Interior said taking the events in Tamale over the past four days, the decision by the President to declare a fresh state of emergency in the area is not surprising.

He gave various reasons why the state of emergency should be maintained and said apart from the issue of the building of the royal palace, the burial of the late Ya-Na and the need to retrieve traditional paraphernalia, the people actively involved in the conflict are in favour of the state of emergency.

The Senior Minister and NPP member for Sunyani East, Mr J. H Mensah said the fact that the President is seeking Parliamentary approval to declare a fresh state of emergency is in consonance with the provisions of the constitution and does not mean that the House is being treated with contempt.

Contributing to the debate after the Minority?s caucus meeting, the Minority Leader and NDC member for Nadowli North Mr A.S.K Bagbin said his side decided to support the motion to ensure that democracy succeeds.

He said much as they are supporting the motion, the declartion of the state of emrgency should be without a curfew and that it should not be a permanent feature. He called on the government to implement agreements made at the Akosombo Consultative meeting and also called on the government to interact with the people in the conflict area to help come out with workable solutions.

He called for immediate investigations into the recent disturbances in the Tamale Municipality, adding that, ?it is a criminal act and has nothing to do with what happend in Yendi.?

The new Majority Leader and Minister of Parlaimentary Affairs, Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong, said the government will do everything possible to promote democracy and development despite the state of emrgency in the Dagbon Traditional Area.

Before moving the resolution, the newly-elected MP for Gomoa East, Mr Richmond Sam Quarm was sworn in while the immediate past Majority Leader and Minister of Parliamentary Affairs, Papa Owusu Ankomah, ushered in his successor to his seat.

In a related development, the Appointments Committee is sitting today and tomorrow to vet 10 persons nominated by the President for various ministerial appointments.