[ 2012-06-13 ]

Let there be peace - Chief Imam
The National Chief Imam, Sheikh Osumanu Nuhu
Sharubutu, has called for peaceful coexistence
between the people of the Zongo communities in the
Gbi Traditional Area in the Volta Region and the
people of that traditional area.

The call by the Chief Imam comes after clashes
between the youth of the Moslem community in Hohoe
and the Gbis on Monday which claimed three lives
and caused extensive damage to individual and
state properties.

Expressing his deep regret and concerns over the
incident, Sheikh Sharubutu said he had asked the
people of the Moslem community to calm down to
give peace a chance.

The National Chief Imam made the call at a meeting
with the Volta Regional Minister, the leaders of
the Moslem community and the chiefs of the Gbi
Traditional Area in Hohoe on Monday as part of
efforts to broker peace between the people of the
Zongo community and the people of Hohoe after
Monday's clashes.

Sheikh Sharubutu said as a member of the National
Peace Council, he was an advocate of peace and
was, therefore, prepared to play any role to
ensure that peace was restored and prevailed
forever.

Speaking through his Public Relations Officer,
Chief Baba Issa, the National Chief Imam likened
the incident to challenges in the Bible and the
Quran which, at the end of the day, turned into a
blessing imbued by God or Allah.

He, therefore, expressed the hope that the
unfortunate incident would engender stronger
relationships among the people of Hohoe.

Sheikh Sharubutu said the incident should not be
used to destroy the peace in the area and the
country, since that had the potential to unleash
more violence not only in Hohoe but also other
parts of the country.

Addressing the meeting, the Volta Regional
Minister, Mr Henry Ford Kamel, expressed regret at
the incident and said President John Evans Atta
Mills was deeply concerned about the violence.

He, therefore, underscored the need for continuous
dialogue to manage the situation well.

He said dialogue was vital and essential in
finding a lasting solution to the crisis, adding
that a committee would be set up immediately to
come up with recommendations as to how to resolve
the problem.

Mr Kamel asked the factions to allow state
security agencies to do their work and appealed to
the Gbi community to allow peace to prevail.

He said it was a difficult moment in the lives of
the people and pledged the commitment of the
government to work together with the rest of the
people to find a solution to the problem.

A Divisional Chief of the Gbi Traditional Area,
Togbe Keh, said the mayhem that occurred was a
bitter pill to swallow but the message of the
regional minister to them had softened their
hearts.

He said the incident was a big surprise to them
because of the good relationship that had
prevailed between the people of Hohoe and the
Moslim community for a long time, adding that but
for divine intervention, more tragic incidents
could have occurred.

Togbe Keh wondered why the Zongo elders allowed
their youth to break loose to such an extent and
that the rampage had punctured the existing peace
between the two groups.

For his part, the Chief of Gbi-Abansi, Togbe
Adzima, said the people of Gbi did not bear any
tribe or religious group any grudge, noting,
however, that the extent of the rampage was too
much for them to bear.

He said even the police failed to arrest any
culprit during the attacks but rather shot and
killed a Gbi citizen without any provocation.

Togbe Adzima also said the Moslem community had
already breached the peace by violating the curfew
hours, since they woke up at 4 a.m., instead of
6:00a.m., as permitted by law.

He, therefore, called on the authorities to ensure
that the policemen and military men stationed in
the town conducted their affairs dispassionately.


The Chief Imam was accompanied by the Volta
Regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Danjumah, while the
Volta Regional Minister was accompanied by his
deputy, Mr Henry Ametefe; the Hohoe Municipal
Chief Executive, Dr Margaret Kwara, and the Volta
Regional Police Commander, Mr Alex Bedie.

Meanwhile, the Matron of the Hohoe Government
Hospital, Madam Patricia Azumatse, has confirmed
that three out of the four injured persons who
were admitted at the hospital died there.

The Outpatients Department of the hospital was
virtually empty as of the time the Daily Graphic
visited, as many of the members of staff stayed
away for fear of further attacks.

The police are guarding the hospital.

Source - Daily Graphic

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