Navrongo Traditional Council summons MP

Navrongo (U/E), Feb. 10, GNA - The Traditional Council, Elders and Kingmakers of Navrongo in the Upper East Region have issued a summon to the Member of Parliament (MP) for Navrongo Central, Mr Kofi Adda, to appear before them in connection with an impasse between him and the acting Navro Pio.

They alleged that the MP had refused to respond to several calls by them to address certain issues that were likely to mar the peace in the area.

They further alleged that the MP was undertaking development projects without consulting the chief as the traditional ruler of the area.

Speaking to the Press in the presence of Chiefs and Elders at a meeting in Navrongo, the acting Navro Pio, Arthur Wekem Belinia Adda, accused the MP for building a community ICT Centre without informing him.

"When I heard about it and invited him for us to discuss the issue, he refused to turn up and went ahead to build the place amid tight security at the site," he said.

He stated that at another time, a disagreement during deliberations at the District Assembly on how to revamp the Tono Irrigation Dam degenerated into a fracas between the MP and the Managing Director of the Irrigation Company of Upper Region, Mr Issah Bukari. He said he and the elders sent for the MP so that they could resolve the issue, but he again refused.

The Regent and elders said at another time, they impressed upon the sub-chief of Wusungu in the Navrongo Traditional Area where the MP hailed from to persuade him to honour their invitation, but he refused. The Chief, Elders and the Kingmakers indicated that they could not continue to tolerate what they described as the "arrogant behaviour" of Mr Kofi Adda which, they said, undermined the chieftaincy institution. They held that as a Member of Parliament for the area, he was supposed to collaborate with them to bring development and peace to the area and not to create discord.

They, therefore, gave the MP up to March 1, 2007 to appear before the Chiefs and elders for them to settle the issue to pave the way for peace and development and also to enable them to celebrate the traditional "Fao" festival.

Eighteen of the 20 sub-chiefs who make up the Kassena-Nankana Traditional Council and 14 Kingmakers attended the meeting and unanimously backed the decision summoning the MP to appear before the traditional authority.