Dagbon chiefs reject Nayiri’s request; warn gov’t to tread cautiously with the issue of the new regions

The Dagbon Traditional Council has unanimously rejected the request by the Overlord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, the Nayiri, Naa Mahami Abdulai Sheriga to cede Chereponi to the North East region.

The chiefs at a crunch meeting to deliberate on the Nayiri’s letter stated emphatically that Chereponi cannot be part of the North East region.

The chiefs maintained that they do not have any bitterness against Mamprugu but that they cannot go against the decision of the chiefs and people of Chereponi that they want to be part of Dagbon.

The meeting, which was chaired by the acting president of the Dagbon traditional council and regent of Dagbon, Kampakuya Naa Abdulai Andani, was attended by both Royal families in Dagbon.

The Nayiri requested Dagbon to allow Chereponi to be added to the proposed North East region, ostensibly to boost up the geographical size of the new region.

After a careful study of the cultural historical and geopolitical implications of the request, the Dagbon traditional council took a decision that it cannot offer its support.

The council however, renewed its support for the wish of Mamprugu to have a new region. In declining the Nayiri’s request, the council noted that the request comes after the Electoral Commission and the Northern Regional Security Council used the coercive force of the state in Chereponi.

It said it was used in the form of the deployment of over 100 armed police officers to cow the peaceful and law-abiding chiefs and people of Chereponi into submitting to an undemocratic process to stampede Chereponi into the proposed North East region.

The chiefs say Dagbon may have its internal challenges, but the cohesion and integrity of the kingdom remain resolutely un-negotiable. Every prince and principality, the council, said has unalloyed responsibility of defending the kingdom against dismemberment, the Dagbon chiefs said.

They have asked the government to bear in mind the negative repercussions of the decision it is trying to impose. The chiefs, during the celebration, could not understand why the government is disrespecting chiefs in the northern region on the matter.

According to them, their petition to the president on the issue was clear and yet the government went ahead and put Chereponi in the North East regional map and documents flying around suggest that Chereponi is part of it.

This, the chiefs noted, is totally unacceptable and urged the government to tread cautiously with the issue in order not to create disunity between the Mamprusis and Dagombas.

The Secretary to the Paramount Chief of the Gulkpegu Traditional area, Mr.Mohammed Rashad who spoke to Zaa News after the meeting at the Northern Regional House of Chiefs, said government disrespected the Dagbon when it added Chereponi to the North Eastern region.

He described security action during the electoral commission limited registration as coercion and was not on their volition.

Mr Rashad reminded the government that the chieftaincy issues in Bawku in the Upper East region are still fresh in the minds of residents. Bawku is no longer under Nayiri simple because Bawku is no more in the northern region, he cautioned.