Government fueling tension in Bimbila – Minority

The Minority in Parliament has accused the government of deliberately creating tension in Bimbila in the Northern Region with the burial of the late Nakpa Naa.

There is heightened tension in Bimbila in the Northern Region as the Gbugmayili family has vowed to resist the burial of the mortal remains of the late Nakpa Naa Salifu Dawumi in Bimbila, following a decision by government to prepare grounds for the late Nakpa Naa.

According to the Gbugmayili family, the decision by government to bury the late Nakpa Naa is against customs and traditions.

They argue that the late Nakpa Naa was not Bimbila Naa per their customs, hence, they would resist any attempt by the Regional Security Council to bury Nakpa Naa in the Gbugmayili graveyard, since he never succeeded the Bimbila Paramountcy.

Addressing the press in Accra on Wednesday, October 11 the spokesperson for the Gbugmayili family, Tahidu Osman-Kikaa, said it is a deliberate attempt by the Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo-led administration to create anarchy in Bimbilla as he insisted that "this move by the President is not in conformity with our traditions".

But also addressing journalists in Accra on Wednesday, October 11, James Agalga, a former Deputy Interior Minister and currently a Ranking Member on the Interior and Defence Committee of Parliament, said: “Our attention has further been drawn to this matter by a statement issued to the media by the family of the current Regent of Bimbila, Nyelimboligu Naa Andani Dasaana.

“The NDC is very much concerned about these developments in Bimbila as it has the potential to compromise the peace or the security of the area.

“We particularly note the fragile nature of the peace in the area which itself is underlined by the maintenance of the curfew imposed about 3 years ago, and wish to point that the action by government without due consultation with the relevant traditional authority in the area has the potential to breach the peace.”

He added: “Additionally, the inability to spell out in clear terms, the condition under which the burial of the late Nakpa Naa would be undertaken, further muddy the waters. We take cognizance of the fact that the continued insistence by the Nakpaa Naa faction to bury him as Bimbila Naa in Bimbila has been the single most prominent issue sustaining the crisis.

“Information available to us indicates that many people are fleeing from Bimbila, when news broke that the late Nakpa Naa’s remains is on its way to Bimbila for the burial today.”