The Kumbungu Naa Na Yiri II, at the weekend descended heavily on politicians who were using the death of Ya Na Yakubu Andani II to score political points at the expense of peace, and said they should bow down their heads in shame, describing them as "nation wreckers”. He noted that such attitude on the part of these politicians was seriously undermining and prolonging efforts by the Committee of Eminent Chiefs to find a lasting solution to the Dagbon crisis. Speaking at the Manhyia Palace to a section of the media after a marathon closed door meeting with the Committee of Eminent Chiefs in an effort to find lasting solution to the Dagbon crisis, Naa Na Yiri II challenged all political parties to use their campaign platforms to preach peace and cohesion instead of inciting conflicts through their political utterances. He said, “Nobody is debarred from making genuine comments on the death of the Dagbon King but it must be responsibly done”. According to the Kumbungu Naa, since the incidence happened, no chief from Dagbon or anywhere else had accused the government of involvement in the killing and therefore, requested politicians to allow mediation efforts on the crisis by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and his team of Eminent Chiefs to proceed without any hindrances. “There is a criminal aspect to the Ya-Na's murder and as for that one we expect the government to get to the bottom of it as quickly as possible", he stressed. His comment came in the wake of recent political utterances regarding the Ya Na"s death which to him had delayed efforts to bring about sanity and stability in the area. “Personally I did not hear former President Rawlings making any comments in connection with the murder of Ya Na Yakubu Andani II on Tuesday” (the Republic Day when Rawlings held a press conference) adding, “indeed if he said that then he will be the best person to give an explanation to his statements”. Na Yiri II commended Otumfuo and his team for their efforts adding, “For the first time since the crisis broke out, the gap between the two factions has been narrowed. We talk to one another even after the meetings and this I strongly think is a good sign”. He observed that in trying to reach any acceptable solution to the issue, there was the need to apply the customs and traditions of Dagbon, as Otumfuo and his team were doing. He appealed to all to love one another because at the end of the day it was Dagbon that would suffer if the conflict continued. The closed door meeting centred on the proposed funeral arrangements of the late Ya Na Mohamadu Abudulai IV. The Chairman of the Committee Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, hoped that “the meeting will usher in a new bond of brotherliness among the two gates”. Last Wednesday the Abudus presented a programme for the funeral of the former Ya Na, which the Andanis decided to study for their response last Friday. Source: The Statesman