Regional News of Sunday, 19 February 2017

Source: 3news.com

Northern Regional House of Chiefs moves to bring Bimbilla chieftaincy factions together

The delegation was led by Tule Wura, Alhaji Rashid Mahama The delegation was led by Tule Wura, Alhaji Rashid Mahama

The President of the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, Yagbonwura Sulemana Tumtumba Boresa, has sent a delegation to Bimbilla to console the families of the deceased from the recent disturbances in the area.

They also appealed to the feuding factions to use due process of the law to resolve any differences.

The delegation was made of representatives of Ya Na, the over lord of Dagbon, and Nayiri, the overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area. The delegation was led by Tule Wura, Alhaji Rashid Mahama.

The delegation met with the two feuding factions at their respective palaces on Saturday. At the palace of the Bimbilla regent, Nyalinbohaga Dasana Andani Yakubu took a swipe at both the Regional House of Chiefs and the security.

He said both the court of law and the National House of Chiefs recognized his late father as the legitimate overlord of the Nanumba Traditional Area and was surprised that since his murder about three years ago, the Regional House of Chiefs did not utter word on the issue.

He said the whole world was aware of the incident of butchers failing to honour traditional sending of meat to the palace which led to mayhem in the area. He said the Chiefs are aware of the consequences of the tradition and yet were quiet on the issue.

On the blame of security agencies, Na Yakubu said after the murder of his father, some people were arrested for the crime but were released in less than three months. He said the same people are the ones threatening with impunity the peace in the area, adding that they are living in the same neighborhood.

The regent, therefore, urged both the Regional House of Chiefs and the security agencies to be proactive in their duties.

He said if somebody feels uncomfortable with his traditional performance, the aggrieved party must resort to the use of law instead of resorting to violence.

On the recent enskinment of the warrior chiefs in the area, Na Yakubu said a five-day notice was given to the police for the purpose and was approved by them only for the police to come on the eve of the event to inform them that it has been postponed.

The regent said it was unfortunate that the area is the first to experience violence in the new administration of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

He said he had challenged the police for a documentary proof instructing him not to go ahead with the enskinment though they later told him it was orders from the Regional Coordinating Director. At the palace of Nakpana Salifu Dawuni, the other faction, he said they recognized him as the legitimate Bimbilla Na and did not take kindly to the delegation for addressing him as Nakpana, Chief of Nakpa.

The delegation pleaded with him to use legal means to address the problem. Meanwhile, the case is at the Supreme Court for the final verdict.

The National House of Chiefs and the Appeals Court ruled in favour of Na Andani Salifu, whose mortal remains are yet to be buried after three years. The family wants him buried as Bimbilla Na. Bimbilla town is under curfew after the communal violence that led to the killing of ten people most of whom were women and children.