North Mo Chiefs accuse Mahama of meddling in land dispute

Chiefs and elders of the North Mo Traditional council in Bamboi in the Northern region have leveled allegations against former president Mahama saying he endangered lives of residents following a “bias interference” in a land dispute between the Mos and Gonjas, and are calling for security presence.

The North Mo Traditional area, a tiny sovereign council surrounded by Gonjas filed a suit at the Tamale High Court in 1935 when the Bole Traditional Council laid claim to Babator, a community over 100m away from its jurisdiction.

The court ruled in favour of the minority tribe and restrained then Bole traditional council from further invading any part of the eight (8) communities under the Mo traditional area.

However, the Bole Traditional Council in a flagrant disregard for the court ruling intensified the relaxed protest immediately Mr. Mahama became vice president in 2008 compelling the helpless but lawful minority group to seek resolution at the Regional House of Chiefs.



The judicial committee of the regional bloc of the chieftaincy institution is yet to convene it first sitting on the matter over ten years after the Mos made available documentary evidences to the House.

Even so, the Bole traditional council cursorily installed a parallel chief and has been allegedly harassing the vulnerable Mos with armed men.

In May last year, a linguist loyal to the North Mo council was attacked and manhandled by suspected trespassers from the Bole traditional council.

The incident sparked tensions forcing the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) to issue a security threat notice to the House of Chiefs to expatiate action on the disposal of the case.

Kasapa News gathered that aside the Babator land where the Bole traditional council are aggressive because of an ongoing three million dollar project by an NGO, they are also laying claim to Jaman where part of the Bui Hydro power project is located.

Similar claim in Kpandai led to a conflict between the Gonjas and Nchemurus where the Gonjas were heavily defeated and driven out and conflict monitors fear another strife in the region already plagued with chieftaincy and land conflicts.

A spokesman for the North Mo traditional council elder C.K Chiranquah in an interview with Kasapa News said the council strongly believe Mr. Mahama’s influences and stalled the case at the House of Chiefs.

The Regent, Nana Adama Saliah called for separation of the Bole- Bamboi district and enough security to protect his people from the Gonjas.

The House of Chiefs was not available for comments and it was also unsuccessful reaching the former president for response, however, an unofficial spokesman for ex- president, Mr. Mahama Haruna said the allegations were baseless and a propaganda tool to gain attention of the new government.

“Gonjas are also blaming John Mahama over pampering the Mos, it is very serious. They said John Mahama shouldn’t have appointed a Mo as DCE. They are just few. Their villages are just seven (7) out of over hundred villages in the Bole district. They (Mos) are just saying that to get attention from the NPP government but it won’t work; that same John Mahama is the person who appointed the first Mo. They rather want to take Gonjas to ransom; they just want to cause trouble.”