Provide "rapid response team" in Northern Region - Alhaji Idris

Tamale, Dec. 1, GNA- Alhaji Mustapha Ali Idris, Northern Regional Minister has appealed to the Ministries of the Interior and Defense to provide the region with a permanent Rapid Response Team of security personnel to help solve the myriad security problems. He said conflicts and armed robbery were becoming rampant in the region and that if a permanent rapid response team, made up of security personnel is put in place, it would be able to provide law and order in the region.

Alhaji Idris made the appeal on Friday, when Mr Francis Poku, Minister for National Security led a government delegation on security to visit and assess the security situation in the Northern Region. Other members of the delegation were, Mr Albert Kan Dapaah, Minister of Defence and Mr Kwabena Bartels, Minister of the Interior. Alhaji Idris mentioned the Bunkpurugu/Yunyoo district, as one of the "hot spots" and that security should not be relaxed there. He said there had also been reports of daily robberies of traders on the highways and indicated that only the assistance of Helicopter patrols could save the situation. He stressed the need for Tamale to get a standby Helicopter for such eventualities.

Alhaji Idris also appealed to donor agencies and NGOs operating in the Northern Region to increase their budgetary allocations to income generating ventures to help address the problems of the north. He cautioned the trouble makers to comport themselves in all aspects of their lives saying, "There are no small fishes and big fishes. Who ever is caught disturbing the peace would face the full rigours of the law."