NDC will lose our support if, - Chiefs of Dagbon

Chiefs of Dagbon have called on the government to take urgent action to find and prosecute the killers of the Ya Na or risk losing the support they have for the National Democratic Congress.

The Regent of Savelugu, Sulemana Mahama and the Pkan Naa, Alhaji Mohammed Baba Bawah said the situation on the ground is not good for the party and if concrete action was not taken to make sure that justice is served the government is likely to suffer a defeat.

The Dakpema of Tamale on his part said the murder of the Ya Na should be of concern to all Ghanaians because as a citizen of Ghana he deserved the same justice that should be delivered to any other Ghanaian.

The chiefs were speaking when President Rawlings paid courtesy calls on them at their palaces in Tamale.

Alhaji Mahama said: ³On Wednesday when we met with President Attah Mills at the Castle we made it clear to him that the situation on the ground in Dagbon today is something that is not very good for the party and if nothing concrete was done on the part of government to make sure that justice, as everybody is crying for, is done to the late Ya Na and forty others, justice is done to all Dagombas irrespective of where they come from, the government is likely to suffer a defeat.

³We are very grateful for this historic visit to us in Tamale this afternoon. What has happened has not come to us as a surprise. We know that the way we are feeling is equally the same way you are feeling about what has transpired and the truth is always the truth. It is like a cork, if you push it under water it will eventually surface.

³We kept quiet for some time because though we shared your sentiments we thought that all the promises that the government was making to us would be followed to the letter so justice will prevail but what we are seeing today is not very good for us as a family.

³All the concerns that you raised, the whole wide world now knows that what you were sending out to the good people of Ghana and to the good people of Dagbon was nothing but the truth and today everybody knows that what you were telling us is something that we should take seriously and work with,² the Regent of Savelugu told President Rawlings.

The Pkan Naa, Alhaji Bawah, who is also a member of the Council of State, told President Rawlings that: ³I think we have to face facts that the attention that was needed from government was not given because security forces were all around. Several other people who were with government agencies were all around, but none of them was invited for questioning or to give statements as to what happened. Which meant that they were all just left to go scot-free and definitely with that we would not expect the truth to come out.

³We are very grateful that you have taken this opportunity to visit us. We are all very sure that the death of our Overlord Naa Yakubu Andani and his elders will not be in vain because the whole world have joined us to mourn the death of our Overlord and elders.

³We expect the government to move whatever it takes even if it involves inviting international investigators to come and support and ensure that the truth is unveiled. We very much welcome it and expect that that should be carried through.

³We have at least demonstrated to the government that we need attention; we need justice, that is enough. But if at the end of the day justice is not delivered then the NDC government should not be surprised if we turn our backs on them,² he said.

Earlier President Rawlings had said he was ³disappointed at our own government. A government that I have worked so hard for, but it appears some of us are adrift and seem to have lost touch with the reality on the ground. It is most unfortunate, but the point is justice is the only thing that can close this chapter. Justice is the only thing that can bring us peace and until that is done, I just don¹t see how we can achieve that peace.

³I want to make an appeal to the chiefs and the elders and our young people that it is a very frustrating and difficult and painful thing because I know certain things around this issue and until those things come out I will always know that the truth is being denied.

³But at the same time they should not take the frustration and the rage out on themselves. I am here to praise them for the control that that they exhibited. That they took it out on the party structures, the government¹s party structures. That is very much justified and I am glad they exhibited so much self-control. It is a very difficult situation but I have come here to thank them for the control they have exhibited at the same time.

³I believe an opportunity is on the horizon for us to cleanse ourselves and to do justiceŠnot just social justice to do with these killings but some of the economic malfeasance that took place, that brought about a lot of suffering, as a result of which people are still suffering.

³Until we are able to bring about that kind of justice then we will be abdicating our responsibility to the people; we will be giving a signal to Ghanaians and the world that we don¹t seem to believe in what brought about June 4, the injustice that brought about June 4, what brought about 31st, what led to the successful revolution of the PNDC. I feel pretty sad. Very sad that people who are trying to hijack this party are taking it astray but I have every hope that we will bring it back to course,² the former President said.