Watch as furious Yaa Naa turns away Energy Minister Jinapor over NEDCo impasse

The Overlord of Dagbon, Yaa Naa Abukari Mahama II, could not hold back his frustration over the impasse between residents of his kingdom and the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) when the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, went to beg for forgiveness over the matter.

A video of the incident showed Jinapor, at the Gbewa Palace, explaining the issues behind the impasse, which has left several communities in the Northern Region without electricity, as he begged for forgiveness.

The energy minister was captured in the video telling the Yaa Naa the steps he has taken to resolve the impasse, including engaging the workers of NEDCo, who have laid down their tools because they were attacked by residents and one of the chiefs in the Northern Region.

He also told the Yaa Naa that the steps he has taken have led to some progress, and the king's intervention would help bring the matter to a finality.

“In all this, our overlord is my father. I cannot come and be looking for a solution and I won’t come to where the solution lies. When I came, we went to the Kug Naa Palace first, and he gave me some displeasing information. So, I apologise profusely to him.

“And on that note, I want to hold my grandfather's legs and apologise to him for all that happened. I am very, very sorry for whatever has happened… I sincerely apologise to him. Because of the earlier communication that came, my understanding and the government's understanding was that everything was okay,” he said.

He added that; “My mission is very simple: to get the workers back, and then they will switch the light on again in Tamale — we can’t continue to sleep in darkness — and also to plead with my father.”

The minister’s suggestion that the lights were switched off did not sit well with the Yaa Naa, who could be heard expressing his frustrations.

The king of Dagbon said that the people who are sleeping in darkness are the very people who voted the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) into power.

“Those who are sleeping in the darkness are those who have given you the power. I’m not going to say anything,” the king fumed, as the minister was still begging him.

The king, who sounded very angry, then said that Jinapor, who is a royal, is now in power and is doing nothing to put on the light for the people who voted his party to power.

Jinapor then retorted, “Beg my father for me that the light is on.”

Some of the sub-chiefs could also be heard saying that the lights were not on, as claimed by the minister.

The Overlord of Dagbon went on to discharge the energy minister and his entourage.

Some people could be heard urging the minister to kneel down and beg the king, which he did for minutes before they were all led out of the chief's presence, who was still fuming.

Watch a video of the incident below:

BAI/AE

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