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Mr Abdallah Abubakari, the Northern Regional Minister has advised chiefs and other influential people in the region to stop the habit of influencing the law enforcement agencies for the release of apprehended criminals.

This, he, said, would ensure that the laws of the country work.

He said crime would continue to exist if influential persons in the society do not stop the habit of interfering for the release of wrongdoers.

Mr Abubakari said criminals must pay heavily for their actions to deter others for the needed peace and security to prevail in the region.

Mr Abubakari gave the advice in Damongo on Wednesday when he met with the Yagbonwura Tuntumba Bore Essa I, the Paramount Chief of the Gonja Kingdom to discuss issues that would bring lasting peace in some trouble spots in the Gonja Traditional Area that the Regional Security Council has identified.

The minister mentioned the chieftaincy brawl among Tampulmas, some alleged serial killings of Fulanis and Brifos in the Kabilima area in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District, the confusion between Gonjas and Mamprusis at Me Npe Asem in the North Gonja District and the impending enskinment of Damongo-wura.

He said: “Allow the law to work when trouble makers are apprehended. Let me remind all especially those who have the habit of jumping into the defense of criminals that you could be considered as accomplish, if you associate yourself with a criminal.”

“The gruesome killings must stop, the lawlessness must stop, criminality in general must stop and all of us including politicians, chiefs, religious leaders and other influential persons among us must disassociate themselves from criminals and let them face the laws alone for sanity to prevail in society.”

He said the Region had gained the notoriety for conflicts and described it as a negative nick-name, which all must fight to erase.

“When we were young, if they give you a negative nick-name you fight for people to stop calling that name,” and so this is the time for the region to stand united to gain its past glory,” he said.

Mr Abubakari appealed to the Yagbonwura to use his good counsel to help solve all impending chieftaincy problems especially those in the Gonja Traditional Area to ensure peace, before, during and after the 2016 elections saying,

"There is no any other person to solve chieftaincy conflicts than you the custodians of the skins."

The Yagbonwura said there is no cause for alarm and assured the minister that everything would be done to ensure amicable resolution of all chieftaincy problems in the area.

On the Tampulma’s call for recognition and elevation of their chiefdom into a paramountcy, the Yagbonwura said the Gonjas under Ndewura Jakpa conquered the ‘Kadichari-tina’ then chief of the Tampulmas in war and cancelled the chieftaincy title, which up to date does not exist.

He explained that the descendants of the ‘Kadicharitina’ cannot appeal for paramountcy, because the request is misplaced because they are warriors.

The Yagbonwura said in the Gonja tradition, warriors do not become chiefs, but however gave the assurance that every traditional process would be followed to bring lasting peace among the Tampulmas.

He said Gonjas are peace-loving and would never go to war with any tribe, adding: “We know the effects of conflicts and we would not do anything to disturb the peace of the country.”

The Yagbonwura commended the minister for the zeal to seek peace for the region saying, “The humility in which you approach issues would surely help you to succeed and I wish you well in your quest to bring the region together”.

The Minister also met with the leaders and some chiefs of the Brifos and the Fulanis in Sawla and appealed to them to stop killing one another for peace to prevail.

He warned that the law would not spare anyone who would kill or engage in any form of crime.