Abu Jinapor denies insulting former Agric Minister

The Minister-designate for Lands and Natural Resources Hon Samuel Abu Jinapor has denied any incident between him and a former Minister of Agriculture Alhaji Mohammed Muniru during the December 2019 Damba festival of the chiefs and people of the Buipe Traditional area in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region where he (Abu Jinapor’s) father is the Paramount Chief.

Samuel Abu Jinapor who was grilled by the Parliaments vetting committee on 24th February, 2021, for over three hours on many issues, in answering a question on his fracas with Alhaji Mohammed Muniru Limuna said; “I recalled a report on one of these portals which said I was engaged in some brawl with somebody in my constituency and the picture came out only for it to turn out that the picture was actually shot in Adabraka whilst I was at Fufulso/ Nyangwuripe and the enclaves Achubunyor and other places. So reports by these portals be looked at with greatest of respect be looked at carefully”.

He further said; “Mr Chairman the allegation that I gave a fisticuff with Alhaji Muniru Limuna former minister for agriculture and disrespected former President Mahama my first response is that the Hon. Okudzeto Ablakwa Hon. member for North Tongu is a very good friend of mine.. we are extremely close, we are like family and am sure he will attest to the fact can that I will not engage in an argument let alone fisticuff”.

Mr Jinapor said; “Mr Chairman in all humility and modesty, anybody who deals with me even casually, will attest to the fact that I’m a gentleman. I don’t even engage in arguments, let alone fisticuff..he Hon. Alhaji Muniru Limuna is my uncle, he is my direct uncle and in Northern customs, it will be completely scandalous, it will be a sacrilege for me to even talk back at him. I met him two weeks ago at a funeral and we had a very cordial engagement. I have absolutely nothing against Alhaji Muniru Limuna, he is my uncle and we get on very well”.

On the issue that resulted in the incident to Buipe, that is Hon Jinapor’s alleged disrespect of refusing to stand up when former President John Dramani Mahama arrived at the Damba Durbar grounds, the Lands and Natural Resources Minister-Designate said; “Former President Mahama and me disrespecting him, let me say again Mr. Chairman say that the allegation and this claim was an allegation which was waged extensively and vigorously in the run-up to the 2020 campaign in my constituency, it was run by the opponent; we all do know the influence former President Mahama wields in the Savannah Region, that is not in doubt, that is not in doubt because that is his home Region but...

“So is it only politically expedient for one to say this person is against president Mahama or this person has insulted President Mahama and it is always for political gains and this is a public hearing and there are a lot of things I can’t say on this platform”.

“Anytime I see President Mahama, I will rise on his side today, I will rise on his side tomorrow; if not for nothing at all for the Office he occupied”.

“President Mahama, I’m sure would attest to that he knows I respect him so much. Mr Chairman, people say all kinds of things trust me with the greatest of respect. I create your indulgence that people see all kinds of things. It Is unfortunate I have to be answering some of these”.

“I did give him (former President Mahama) the respect and in fact is sad. in our custom when I meet him in private I don’t stand, I squat to greet him and he knows. He knows that is a misrepresentation of somebody who doesn’t know the custom is for you to squats…on this occasion, I went to meet him there and I rose and Hon. Majority Leader when he got up to speak I rose”.

In December 2019, Mr Samuel Abu Jinapor is reported to have lost his cool and openly insulted the former Minister of Agriculture, Alhaji Mohammed Muniru-Limuna at the Damba Festival in Buipe in the Central Gonja District of the Savannah Region.

Abu Jinapor according to MyNewsGh.com said; “Bullshit, foolish man” among other unprintable adjectives on the former Minister who is his Uncle.

The news portals said it gathered that Former President John Dramani Mahama graced the event and when he rose up to speak from the dais, other dignitaries stood up as a sign of respect but the New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Damongo remained seated, an act the former Minister observed was a sign of disrespect.

“I approached him quietly and asked he stands up even if the man was not his candidate but by virtue of the fact he is a former President but in response, he told me Bullshit”; Alhaji Limuna confirmed to MyNewsGh.com.

He disclosed that he walked away and returned later to confront him as to who he was referring to but that open the floodgates to another round of insults.

“He told me in the face I am a foolish man and that he will repeat it 20 times if offered another opportunity. Abu then rushed on me as though he was going to punch me but was restrained by Joyce Bawah Mogtari,” Alhaji Muniru reportedly said.