The Minister of the Interior, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman has asked the security agencies to improve upon their information gathering system in order to identify all those who were behind the recent disturbances in the Tamale Municipality.
Speaking at Tamale at the start of a three-day visit to Agencies under the Ministry in the Northern and Upper East Regions to review the security situation, he said the security agencies should especially identify the ringleaders of the clash, which left at least four people dead.
A statement in Accra on Thursday signed by Mr Jude Owusu-Senyah, Director of Human Resource Management of the Ministry, said the Minister thanked the security agencies for the professionalism they showed in bringing the situation under control.
He directed the Police to expedite action on the preparation of dockets on those who were arrested during the disturbances for speedy prosecution.
He met the Northern Regional Security Committee and visited the Northern Regional Headquarters and barracks of the Ghana Police Service.
Mr Owusu-Agyeman said the government was mindful of the problems being faced by the security agencies in the discharge of their duties in the Region adding that the government was doing all it could to address them.
He praised the traditional authorities for their positive roles in bringing about relative peace in the Dagbon Traditional Area and appealed to the people for support towards finding lasting peace.
Mr Owusu-Agyeman warned that the government would not tolerate any person or groups of persons whose principal goal was to foment trouble in the area.
He said the Police should take a second look at the concept of providing barracks accommodation for personnel in view of the high cost to government.
He said he was disappointed at the state of the barracks at Tamale and asked the Regional Commander to submit proposals on its rehabilitation for his consideration.
Mr Owusu-Agyeman appealed to the Police to be objective in the performance of their duties saying they should change their mental attitude to gain the confidence of the population.
The Northern Regional Police Commander, Mr Douglas Asiedu told the Minister when he visited the Northern Regional Headquarters that they had a total strength of 590 personnel although they needed 1,500.
He said the lack of office and residential accommodation, transport and communication equipment were the major difficulties they faced.
The National Disaster Management Organisation promised to supply 12 packets of roofing sheets to re-roof a Police building whose roof was blown off recently.
