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Regional News of Wednesday, 14 November 2018

Source: savannanews24.com

Dagbon youth demonstrate over Chereponi

A youth holding a placard that reads 'North-East Region can be created without Chereponi' on it A youth holding a placard that reads 'North-East Region can be created without Chereponi' on it

Thousands of Dagbon youth staged a massive demonstration today in the Tamale Metropolis to protest against what they term as deliberate attempts by some groups and individuals to create feud between Mamprusis and Dagombas over adding Chereponi to the creation of the North-East Region.

The Dagbon youth, cladded in red amidst touting reiterated that, the people of Dagbon are fully in solidarity with the people of Mamprugu over the creation of the North East Region to pave way for development in Mampragu but adding up of Chereponi to make up the new region is nonnegotiable.

The massive demonstration organised by the Dagbon Youth Forum and Dagbon Movement in Tamale was to send a strong signal to the government about the dangers of adding Chereponi, currently under the Dagbon Traditional Council to the North East Region.

They hinted that, the Regent of Dagbon, Kampakoya Naa Yakubu Andani Abdulai has written several letters to government which spells out clearly that Chereponi should not be included in the creation of the North-East Region and that he is not ready to give part of his land to any region when the commission visited Dagbon.

Adding that, the North-East Region wanted Kariga as part of the region but this request was declined by the Kampakoya Naa. However, the people who had the request lobbied with the Chekosi Chief for Chereponi, Naa Maliba to be a part of the North-East Region.

" We realized that the North-East Region wanted Kariga to be part of North-East Region. It was resisted by the Kampakoya Naa and these same people went behind the Kampakoya Naa and lobbied with the Chief of Chereponi, Naa Maliba for Chereponi to be part of the North-East Region", Dagbon youth said.

“The request by the Nayiri that Chereponi [currently under Dagbon Traditional Council] should be released to be part of the new region was openly opposed to by the Traditional Council when they met in Yendi,” The spokesperson of the youth hinted.

The youth emphasized that, legally no region can be created that crosses another traditional boundary.

They said " In 1986 when they were creating the Upper West Region, Nyole, Klumasa, Chindambo, Sola, Bole, Bamboye, are the lands of the Yogbon Naa and he wrote to that petition that he did not want any part of his lands to be a part of the Upper West Region, and the former president H.E Jerry John Rawlings listened to him".

They disclosed that as a result of the creation of newer regions the Yogbon Naa lost many of his lands. "Kintampo, Kwame Danso, Atebubu and Techiman are some lands that were lost by the Yogbon Naa" The Dagbon youth added.

Further examples were cited of the Mampurugu who lost lands such as Bawku, Karu, Timpani and Bolga as a result of the creation of the Upper Regions.

The Dagbon Youth stated that the primary objective for which they do not want to allow the addition of Chereponi to the North - East Region is in order to curb future conflicts. They said that many conflicts in the Upper regions is primarily as a result of the disjoining caused during the creation of the Upper Region.

Meanwhile, the The Regional Re-organisation Minister, Dan Kweku Botwe said the proposal to create new regions will not affect traditional boundaries but will only re-demarcate administrative boundaries.

The Minster speaking on Joy FM said it is wrong for people to assume that once a geographical area owes allegiance to a particular ethnic group, they cannot be in another region.

“It is not supported by the current facts on the ground because we have many people from different regions who owe allegiance to other chiefs or kings in other regions,” Mr Botwe said.