Threats of violence over creation of new Northern Regions

There is mounting opposition to the creation of the North East Region with threats of ethnic conflicts by chiefs loyal to the Dagbon Traditional Council.

The Chiefs of Chereponi insist the creation of the new region may alter their geographical location and their cultural allegiance.

Secretary to the Chiefs of Chereponi, Baba Yaka told Joy News’ Evans Mensah on Top Story, Friday, a draft map cited ahead of the creation of the new region shows Chereponi has been shifted which will make them owe allegiance to the Mamprusis, something they are not ready to do.

According to him, the Mamprusis breached faith and showed little respect to them when they failed to engage them in the preliminary discussion about the creation of the new region.

His comments come in the wake of discussion for the creation of six new regions which, if voted for in a referendum, will increase the number of regions from ten to 16.

There have been petitions for the creation of the Western Northern Region, Oti Region, Bono East, Ahafo, North Eastern Region and Gonja land region.

As per the law, a Commission has been constituted by the president to receive petitions, peruse them and table the call for the creation of the regions to a referendum for citizens to vote either for or against the new regions.

Even before the referendum there are already boiling points especially in the Volta and Northern Regions where the Oti, Gonjaland and North east regions are likely to be created.

Already there are claims of political manipulation in the process.

Baba Yaka said Chiefs who are believed to have allegiances to the current government hurriedly took part in a meeting to discuss the creation of the new region without consulting the Regent in the area.

He also accused the Mamprusis of failing to indulge them in the decision making process only to bring a letter asking the Regent to sign as having agreed to the creation of the new region, a request the Regent objected to, he stated.

He said they have petitioned the Commission about their concerns but are yet to receive a response from the Commission members.

Meanwhile the Member of Parliament for Chereponi, Samuel Abdulai says he has not been consulted about the creation of the new region.

He was surprised how as a stakeholder he was completely ignored in the discussion for the creation of a region that will affect his constituency.

He said the march for the creation of the new regions in the north has been underlined by suspicion and called for more consultations before a decision is made.