Measures announced to forestall breach of the peace during Homowo

Accra, Aug. 6, GNA - The Greater Accra Regional Security Council (REGSEC) on Friday announced a series of measures to ensure a peaceful celebration of this year's Homowo following volatile situations in several traditional areas.

A statement signed by Sheikh Ibrahim Quaye, Grater Accra Regional Minister, said briefings from the security agencies at an emergency meeting of REGSEC had indicted that there was a real likelihood of the breach of the peace in some communities in the Region.

It said the REGSEC had decided that all chiefs and elders areas where there is chieftaincy dispute should confine the sprinkling of "Kpokpoi" to their palaces only.

It said Nii Odai Ayiku of Nungua should under no circumstance perform any ceremony outside his house without clearance from the REGSEC or Police.

REGSEC has also directed that there should be no sprinkling of "Kpokpoi" in the James Town satellite villages while the celebration of Odwira scheduled for Monday, August 9 at Mantse Agbonaa should be suspended.

"All parties involved in any chieftaincy dispute must show respect for one another and restrain their followers from making derogatory and inflammatory remarks about one another."

The statement said the security agencies in the Region had been directed to take maximum measures to ensure that no breach of the peace took place during the Homowo celebrations.

The statement listed recent explosive incidents in the Region to include the chieftaincy clashes at Tetegu, which claimed three lives; the chieftaincy clashes at Nungua and petitions received from the Ga Traditional Council expressing concern over the general wrangling in Engleshie Alata (James Town) and killings that took place at several villages under the jurisdiction of the James Town Traditional Authority.