The Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) in 2007 was able to mediate and dispose of 358 out of 407 cases reported to it in the Upper East Region.
From January 2008 to September 2008, it resolved 206 cases out of the 262 reported cases leaving 56 cases outstanding.
The Regional Director of CHRAJ, Mr Kenneth Adabayeri, disclosed this to the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga on Wednesday.
He said his outfit was able to resolve most of the cases through mediation and noted that through durbars, seminars, workshops and public education, people were beginning to know their rights, in relation to abuse.
This, he noted, had led to an increase in the number of cases reported to CHRAJ, where they were resolved amicably, mostly through mediation.
He indicated that most of the reported cases in the Region were child and wife maintenance, right to property, access to land by Women, Widowhood Rites among others.
Mr Adabayeri appealed to members of the public whose rights were infringed upon not to hesitate to report the case to CHARAJ for redress and said it was incumbent upon everybody to ensure that his fellow being human's rights were not abused.
"It is against the fundamental law for somebody's rights to be trampled upon by his fellow human being and go scout-free".
He pointed out that one of the cardinal elements of democracy was the protection of fundamental human rights of citizens and appealed to community leaders, opinion leaders and assembly members to help protect the rights of individuals to promote democracy.
Mr Adabayeri commended development partners including World Vision, Action Aid, CODAC, and Bongo Center for Human Rights that had been supportive to CHRAJ in the region in its operation.
He appealed to Government to open up CHRAJ offices in the newly created districts.
Mr Adabyeri noted that many people as a result of the absence of CHRAJ offices in their area found it difficult to travel long distances to the regional capital to access justice.
Mr Augustus Atibila, the Regional Public Education Officer of CHRAJ, said most of the harmful cultural practices including widowhood rites, female genital mutilation, tribal marks, elopement, betrothal that were predominant and were against the abuse of human rights had now been minimized due to the education programme that were embarked upon by his outfit.
He appealed to other development partners especially anti-human rights abuse organizations to support CHRAJ by collaborating with it in the discharge of it duties.
Mr Atibila explained that government alone cannot fight against human rights abuses and called on all stakeholders to get involved in the protection of human rights.
He warned the public that CHRAJ would not relent in its efforts at fighting human rights abuses and appealed to the people to complement the efforts of CHRAJ.
Tamale, Feb. 25, GNA - Mr Cletus Avoka, Minister of the Interior on Wednesday assured Ghanaians that the change of government was not an era of vengeance and advised all to comport themselves to ensure peace and development.
He said the NDC was committed to peace, unity in development and that the party's slogan of "A better Ghana" did not translate to mean killing one another and warned that any one who indulged in acts of violence would be dealt with no matter his or her political affiliation.
Mr Avoka gave the assurance in Tamale when he led government delegation to inspect and ascertain acts of arson that took place in Tamale where seven houses and three vehicles were burnt in renewed violence last Sunday between supporters of the NDC and the NPP in the Tamale Metropolis.
The arson took place after the burial of one Abdul Rashid who was shot dead in a previous clash between the two parties about a fortnight ago.
The Minister and his entourage visited the seven destroyed houses in Gumbihini, Chogu and Nyohini and sympathized with displaced persons and assured them of government's support to resettle them.
Addressing the leadership of both parties and security personnel after the tour, Mr Avoka said the NDC government was committed to bringing justice into the country and that anybody found disturbing the peace would be treated accordingly without fear or favour.
He said there was the need for all to eschew favouritism and nepotism and help chart a new path of development to erase the negative impression that held the north to ransom for many years.
"What people did in the past and we were not happy, there is no need for us to repeat them. A wrong always remains the same no matter how you turn it", he said, and urged all to emulate the humility of Professor John Evans Atta Mills and Vice President John Mahama for national unity.
Mr Avoka said the government would chart a new path of conflict resolution and would empower agencies fighting conflict with the necessary tools to ensure that there was peace, unity and national cohesion.
He advised the security personnel to remain neutral in executing their duty to win public confidence, saying, "We went round and you all heard the people. If you can not prosecute a single person who misbehaved in the past, how do you expect the public to have trust in you?"
He said the Ministry of the Interior would in future compel regional commanders of the security forces to sign performance contract and whoever failed to perform would be replaced.
Mr Stephen Sumani Nayina, Northern Regional Minister expressed regret that at a time when some people in the north could not afford to pay school fees, or medical bills, they could afford to use money to purchase weapons for destruction.
He said the monies and the energies used in solving conflicts in the north would have been used in finding ways of developing the north.
The delegation expressed disappointment in the regional leadership of the NPP some of whom withdrew at the last minute from the inspection tour, and also failed to meet with the delegation after the inspection of the burnt houses without reasons.