Ya-Na’s pick for Nanton skin rejected; residents block roads amid rising tension

Tension is rising at Nanton in the Northern Region as residents have blocked all roads leading to the town in protest of a decision by the overlord of Dagbon, Ya-Na Abukari Mahama II, to nominate an Andani as their chief.

The people have vowed to resist any attempt to impose the Ya-Na’s candidate, Vo Naa Muhammadu Baba Bawa, on them as the Nanton Naa.

Since Sunday night, the residents have mounted road blocks wielding offensive weapons to signal their readiness to fight for what they believe to be their rights.

“The youth have blocked all roads entering the township. Many of them are wielding cutlasses and offensive materials,” our correspondent Christopher Amankwah reported Monday morning.

They told our correspondent that they have information to the effect that the Ya-Na’s choice, Vo Naa Muhammadu Baba Bawa, is coming to the town, but have vowed not to allow him entry “because he is not from that place”.

He reports that there is no security deployed to the area yet.

Spokesperson for the people, Atiah Alhassan, told our correspondent that they will not accept any Nanton Naa aside Zoosali Naa Haruna Tia Sulemana.

He indicated the Nanton chieftaincy is for Abudus and not Andanis, noting no Abudu has ever contested an Andani chieftaincy, hence see no reason for the Ya Na’s choice.



According to him, 32 years ago, a Nantong Naa was chosen for them against tradition; something he claimed nearly resulted in a misunderstanding.

“You will never see any Abudu going for any Andani seat,” he said, noting that all the towns in the area have Andanis as chiefs and that “It’s only Nantong in this area which belongs to Abudus and they have now decided to give Nanton to Andani so we will not agree to that”.

The people are thus appealing to President Nana Akufo-Addo to “call the Ya-Na” to order in the matter to avoid a degeneration.