The Andani Family has accused government of attempting to facilitate a repeat of the 2002 palace massacre where the then Dagbon Overlord and many other sub-chiefs were killed.
In what appears to be a total collapse of the Asantehene-led peace talks, the family has accused the NPP government of moves contrary to the recommendations mutually agreed by the committee.
The family at a news conference on Wednesday in Tamale said a government delegation headed by the National Security Minister, Albert Kan Dapaah had already taken actions that bore same resemblances to what preceded the three-day assault on the Old Gbewaa palace that led to the death of Yaa-Naa Yakubu Andani II.
Specifically, The family claims that the National Security Minister had already met the Kug Naa and announced to him government preferred candidate for the position of the Yaa Naa.
They allege also that government had given permission to the Abudu family to occupy the Gbewaa Palace for the funeral of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai.
Giving chilling details of how the murder of the Yaa Naa unfolded, the family insisted that “evidence abound to support the claim that the murder of the Yaa Naa was politically motivated involving some highly placed NPP government officials”.
The family warned that the National Security Minister and government were walking in the path that led to the 2002 massacre by his utter display of contempt for the customs and traditions of Dagbon.
“Clearly, the provision in the Kan Dapaah delegation, which allows the family of the Mahamadu Abdulai to occupy the Gbewaa palace for one week to perform the funeral of the said Mahamadu Abdulai is a continuation of the process that led to the murder of Yaa Naa Yakubu Andani II. We have no doubt in our minds that the NPP government is hell-bent on fulfilling their earlier promise to the Mahamadu Family”
The immediate family of the murdered Yaa Naa cautioned the minister to stay away from traditional matters of Dagbon to those customarily entrusted with such responsibilities.
They repeated calls for the arrest and prosecutions of the killers of Naa Andani II, adding that, “there can never be any talk of performing the funeral of our murdered father”.
The family also vowed to resist, by any means necessary, attempt by government to grant access to the Abudu family to perform the funeral of Naa Mahamadu Abdulai at the old Gbewaa Palace.
The conference addressed by an elder son of the late Naa Andani, Abdulai Yakubu Andani concluded by saying, “allowing the Abudus to perform the funeral at the palace would be a desecration of the memory our fathers. The year 2017 will not be like the year 2002”.
Source: Ghana/StarrFMonline.com/Eliasu Tanko
