One person dies in Funsi chieftaincy dispute

Funsi(UWR) Sept.6, GNA - One person died and another received injuries in a misunderstanding that ensued after the enskinment of Mr. James Dumah as the chief of Funsi in the Wa East District. The deceased Siata Bakuli, a 22-year-old vocational school graduate has been buried while the injured Mr. Yakubu Bajasi is still on admission at the Wa Regional hospital.

Police sources said after the enskinment of Mr.Dumah last week, a rival group in the town allegedly barricaded the main road leading to a section of the town amid drumming and dancing with war songs. The source said the police had to give warning shots after the group had failed to respond to appeals to stop and reacted to the warning shots with sporadic gunshots.

The police said the deceased who was at the market square received a gunshot and was pronounced dead at the Funsi clinic, while the injured was rushed to the hospital.

Mr. Ambrose Dery, Upper West Regional Minister who visited Funsi on Monday warned the people not to take the law into their own hands to create problems in the area.

He said although the Government would not meddle in chieftaincy disputes, it would not allow few people to create problems to impede development in the area.

Mr Dery said "if they were not satisfied with the decision of the Wa Traditional Council they could appeal against it but not resort to other means that would affect development." "The District was created to give development to the people we will therefore, not entertain any acts of violence and gross indiscipline in the town." Mr Dery warned.

The Regional Ministerm, said Funsi and surrounding communities were some of the most peaceful areas in the country, "it was unfortunate that such violence was rearing its ugly head." Twenty-three policemen and two military men had been detailed to the town to maintain peace and order.

Factions in the dispute expressed their gratitude to the Regional Minister and the Security agencies for their timely intervention and pledged to use appropriate channels to address the issue.