Paramount Chief of the Tuluwe Traditional Area of Gonja, Tuluwewura Sulemana Bonyansa (I) has expressed interest to contest as the Northern Regional representative (elected) for the Council of State.

The Electoral Commission (EC) has set Thursday, February 9, 2017, as the date to hold elections for the regional representatives to the Council of State and to be eligible to contest the election, applicants must be Ghanaian, of sound mind, be eligible to contest and be native to or resident in the regions they seek to represent.

In an interview with Bole-based Nkilgi FM, Tuluwewura Bonyansa (I) said he has performed creditably well as an appointed member of the Council of State pushing for many people from the Northern Region to be employed into many government and private institutions and was one of the members of the Council of state who advised former President Mahama based on the realities on the ground.

He said he has an unfinished business having been appointed only three years. According to the soft spoken Tuluwewura, the election of the council of state is non-partisan and not ethnic base and so will serve all in Northern Region irrespective of political party and ethnic group one belongs.

” I was appointed by President John Dramani Mahama as a Member of the Council of State representing the Northern Region in February, 2013 based on merit but not because I belong to a political party” he emphasized.

Tuluwewura Bonyansa (I) known for his humility is known in private life as Mr Rasheed Sulemana Mahama and was born on March 5, 1938 to Mr. Soale Sulemana of Tuluwe and Mrs. Ajara Sulemana of Bole.

He was enskinned the Gbogbotowura and then subsequently became the Bondawura, a skin he held until his enskinment as Tuluwewura or Paramount Chief of the Tuluwe Traditional Area in 2011. He was a Government Appointee to the Central Gonja District Assembly from 2009 to 2013.

Other positions Tuluwewura Bonyansa held in his private life include Steward in the Health Division of Volta River Authority (VRA); Divisional Secretary of VRA, Public Services Workers Union (PSWU) of the Ghana Trades Union Congress (GTUC); the Eastern Regional Chairman of the PSWU and a NEC Member of the Town Management Committee, Akosombo for a number of years.

The Tuluwewura is one of the five Chiefs that can ascend the Yagbon Skin of Gonja with the rest being the Wasipewura, Kpembewura, Bolewura and Kusawguwura.
The Council of State consist of one representative from each region of Ghana elected, in accordance with regulations made by the Electoral Commission under article 51 of Ghana’s constitution, by an electoral college comprising two representatives from each of the districts in the region nominated by the District Assemblies in the region and eleven other members appointed by the President.