A committee from both the police and the military, the ministers said, has been constituted to ascertain the cause of the clash between personnel of the two security agencies.

Personnel of the two agencies last Wednesday engaged in a fierce ‘battle’ amidst sporadic shootings in the northern regional capital.

The fracas, the second in a month, left six police and two military personnel injured prompting the Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, to summon the two ministers following an application by the Minority Leader, Haruna Iddrisu for the two men to brief the House on the development.

In a joint statement in response to the summons read on the floor of Parliament in Accra yesterday, Dominic Nitiwul, MP, Bimbilla, said “any person found culpable after the investigations shall be dealt with in accordance with the  law.”

Mr  Nitiwul said a preliminary investigation has been instituted into the confusion after which the two institutions agreed to hold regular joint durbars and other activities to enhance interaction and cooperation between the two security agencies.

“Currently, full operational cooperation has been restored in Tamale and the entire Northern Region, as pertains in other regions in the country. The general public is therefore reassured that there is full impetus towards their security and safety.

“The two institutions and their respective high commands are poised to preserve the sanctity of the cooperation achieved on permanent basis”, Mr. Nitiwul told the House.

He regretted the conduct of the two security agencies revealing that existing guidelines regarding the handling of personnel on disciplinary issues and breaches of the law has been agreed.

The adherence to these guidelines, Mr  Nitiwul said will forestall the recurrence of such unfortunate incidents.

Welcoming the assurances, Haruna Iddrisu said the two agencies were the basin for discipline and must not do anything different to taint that important role they play in the security of the country.

To ascertain the level of collaboration between the two agencies in the aftermath of the clash which happened in his constituency, Haruna Iddrisu said he drove in a taxi in the Tamale township at night and confirmed that the two agencies were working together for the peace and safety of the people of Tamale.

He hoped the unfortunate incident never happened again adding that Parliament will closely monitor the situation to ensure that those found culpable were punished as a deterrent to others.

The Deputy Majority Leader, Sarah Adjoa Safo, said as agencies clothed with the powers to protect the citizenry, they must not do otherwise as the people have their trust.

Impressed with the plans contained in the joint briefing, she said the investigation must be conclusive and persons found guilty brought to justice.

Speaker Oquaye commended the two ministers for honouring his invitation and urged them to keep the House in the know when culpability is determined.