UPPER WEST NDC APOLOGISES TO PREZ (PAGE 14, MAY 15, 2010)

The Upper West Regional branch of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has rendered an unqualified apology to President John Evans Atta Mills and the entire party for the disturbances which took place in Wa, the regional capital, prior to the dismissal of the immediate past Regional Minister, Mr Mahmud Khalid.
It condemned the unruly behaviour of the youth of the party, which led to the disturbances in the Wa municipality, and expressed gratitude to the President for the competent manner in which he continued to handle affairs of the party.
That, it said, had restored sanity and peace to the party in particular and the region in general.
A statement signed and read on behalf of the regional party executives by the Upper West Regional Secretary of the NDC, Mr Eric Dakura, at a press briefing in Wa reaffirmed the confidence and trust of the regional branch in the President and the NDC, saying, “We believe and trust in the President and his team to deliver the better Ghana agenda we promised.”
“Now that the malignant growth has been effectively removed by the wonderful political surgeon who is the President, peace and harmony will prevail,” it added, saying, “We are not against competent businessmen and women from other political parties being given jobs because we believe that any Ghanaian, whether from the NPP, CPP, PNC or any other political party, is entitled to the national cake.”
The statement further pledged its unflinching support for the Deputy Regional Minister, Mr Caesar Kale, whom it described as hardworking and somebody who had the interest of the party at heart, and commended the police and the military for the able manner in which they handled the disturbances.
It pointed out that but for the intervention of the deputy regional minister, the party in the region would have been torn into shreds by now.
It said the branch would never condone any violent behaviour that undermined the rule of law and party discipline in the region.
In a related development, the Upper West Regional Police Command has released on bail the eight suspected NDC youth who were arrested in connection with the disturbances in the Wa municipality last Tuesday.
They are Mohammed Imoro, Moomin Malik, Alhassan Lukman and Ibrahim Salifu.
The others are Ibrahim Abdul Rahman, Aburahman Fataw, Mohammed Jimba and Issahaku Nuhu.
The Regional Crime Officer, Mr Wisdom Lavoe, who briefed the Daily Graphic, said the police were still investigating the matter, since all the suspects had distanced themselves from the act, claiming that they had only been arrested on suspicion.
That, he said, was making it difficult for the police to suitably charge the suspects for the crime, since they were not arrested in the act.
Mr Lavoe did not, however, rule out the possibility of an identification parade when the need arose and advised the youth, particularly those belonging to political parties, to be law abiding and adhere to laid down procedures in addressing their grievances.
He said the days when things were done any how were gone and now it was a system of rule of law and respect for human rights.
Meanwhile, the Wa municipality is calm, with the citizenry going about their duties.