THE DANGME West District Chief Executive (DCE), Mr. K. T. K. Agbai, has on behalf of President Kufuor rendered apology to victims of the Asutsuare communal clash that has made at least 130 persons homeless.
The DCE made the pronouncement when he took a bold step to resolve the nagging problem at Asutsuare.
Our undercover investigations at both Akuse and the lifeless town of Asutsuare showed that those who fled their homes would like to go back only on condition that perpetrators at the infamous February 2 attack are arrested and prosecuted
On Saturday, October 27, this year the DCE, himself a native of Asutsuare, met and dialogued with Mr. Vidas Teye Muno's group at the local Presbyterian Chapel.
During the meeting, Mr. Teye Muno, an assembly member, called on his brothers and sisters now in exile as a result of the clash to return home to rebuild their ghost town.
The assembly member pledged to guarantee the safety of people willing to return, adding that there would be no more attacks.
To affirm his determination, Teye Muno proposed a five-man delegation to accompany the DCE to meet their exiled opponents at Akuse, but this was declined by Mr.Agbai.
Then the following day, Sunday, October 28, at about 6p.m, Mr. Agbai met with the about 130 local refugees where he, without hesitation, rendered the apology on behalf of the Chief Executiveof the nation.
According to him, since his nomination and confirmation, the issue of Asutsuare has been his priority.
He stated that he would not like history to repeat itself, referring to a similar problem that occurred several years ago when the present Osu people of Accra had to desert Osuwem because of a scuffle over "Dipo" beads, hence the name Osudoku (remnants of Osu).
Mr. Agbai said that he would not like a situation where new land problem will compel another breakaway.
The exiled group contended that their return can not be guaranteed since the law enforcement agencies have not been able to apprehend those declared wanted who resurfaced just after the 2000 elections.
To them, criminality must not be politicised because the implication is that since the NDC government issued the warrant for the arrest of the suspects, the present lukewarm attitude of their arrest leaves much to be desired.
"Does it mean that, the criminal act has been amended since the new dispensation," an opinion leader among the exiled group quipped.
They asked the DCE himself, a legal brain, if arrest of the perpetrators can not be effected.
The DCE called on the two factions to hesitate in going to the press with the Asutsuare issue, for he is trying to find a lasting solution to it.
An investigation carried out revealed that potential investors to the area are getting scared of the prevailing situation.
A typical example is an interrogation that an Israeli engaged in vegetable farming had undergone recently.
Another segment of serious concern to the natives is the huge investment made by the African Development Bank (ADB) to support the Kpong Irrigation Project (KIP). But now the project is threatened with attacks, including one on the ADB representative.
The fear is that the ADB may not have any security to release the rest of the loan to support the project.
"If the government is unable to solve the Asutsuare problem where investors have been attracted to, then, going round to invite other investors as the President is doing now will be fruitless. This is because the investors have their people giving them day-to-day information and proposed investment regions," a worried elder summed up.
The reaction to this paper's recent publication by Mr. Vadis Teye Muno, admitting that his supporters had gone to restrain the Dodowa Police from arresting him also came to the fore.
Opinion gathered disclosed that the fact that the assembly member admitted that he was declared wanted by the police and went into a hideout and resurfaced after the elections is an indictment on the security agencies.
Indications are also that unless measures are taken with firm decisions, the conflict will become like a musical chair where a change of government brings about renewed fighting.
