Tamale South Member of Parliament Haruna Iddrisu has retracted and apologised for a question he posed to the Ashanti Regional Minister-designate during Wednesday’s vetting exercise. He had asked ministerial nominee Samuel Sarpong if non-Akan ethnic groups, particularly those of Northern and Volta heritage, are safe in the Ashanti Region. His question raised a lot of eyebrows with the Ashanti Region Caucus of Parliament demanding that he retract and apologise for his comments. Joy News’ Elton John Brobbey reported the Chairperson of the Ashanti Region Caucus, Elizabeth Agyeman, as saying that Mr Iddrisu’s question was needless and only sought to hurt the sensibilities of those living in the Ashanti Region. Worse still, she told the media, the question threatened to raise tensions in the region. She maintained that the indigenes of the Ashanti Region have for years lived in peace with all ethnic groups in the region and wondered what would elicit such a question from a Minister of State and a Member of Parliament. She also reported that she was not impressed with the minister-designate’s response. Haruna Iddrisu has since apologised for asking the question. “Any person or group of persons who feel offended by that statement, I profoundly regret the statement,” he said. He added, however, that the question was not a statement of fact and was simply meant to encourage the minister-designate to publicly assure the safety and protection of all ethnic groups represented in his region. “I have no intention of igniting any fire, particularly matters that will border on the emotional issue of ethnicity and the primary groups to which people belong,” he stated.