A group calling itself the Concerned Youth of Gonjaland has accused Vice President Paa Kwesi Bekoe Amissah-Arthur of showing disrespect to the chiefs and people of the Gonja Kingdom during his recent visit to the three Northern Regions.

According to the group, Mr Amissah-Arthur met parliamentary candidates of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) in the Northern region at the conference hall of the Mole National Park in the West Gonja District of the Northern region and failed to pay homage to Yagbonwura Tuntumba Bore Essa I Sulemana Jakpa at Damongo.

It said the vice president also met some chiefs in the area.

Members of the group indicated that the failure on the part of the Vice President to pay a courtesy call on the overlord showed the vindictiveness and divisiveness of the NDC as a party.

Abu Mohammed Lansani, who read a press statement on behalf of the group, said during his two-day visit in the area, he addressed the NDC supporters at the Damongo Lorry Park and revealed his incompetence and timidity.

“The vice president said he came to prepare the grounds for the president’s visit and that he will come with him but the question is- why is the President afraid of his own backyard? Is it because he has failed woefully as President to honour his promises to the people of his own backyard?’

President John Mahama stated that Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is responsible for the disunity in the party and even went ahead to say that Nana Akufo-Addo sacked the likes of Paul A. Afoko, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong and Sammy Crabbe. He is talking of unity whilst his own backyard is divided. Ever since he became the President of the nation, there has been discord in the Gonja Kingdom.”

Most of the traditional and sub-traditional areas have issues related to chieftaincy, and in some cases there are two chiefs in the same paramountcy all because of his influence directly or indirectly. He should first settle those issues before pointing accusing fingers at the flagbearer of the NPP who in his entire life has always respected rule of law.

Abu Mohammed Lansani told DAILY GUIDE that at Damongo where the president was born, there are two chiefs laying claim to the skin.

‘Is this unity? there are two chiefs and the same problem exist in Tinga, the ‘galamsey’ community in his own backyard: Kafaba, Kablama, Babator, Sonyo cannot be left out. We will like to ask the President is this unity?” he quizzed.

According to him, many were expecting the president in Damongo at a time he was mourning the death of his mother. When her seventh day funeral rite was held in Damongo, he failed to avail himself because of the chieftaincy dispute in Damongo.

“Why was the president so fast to help solve the chieftaincy dispute at Buipe or is it because John Jinapor was his PRO by that time.  If he has the power to remit the sentences of some people, he should intervene to address these chieftaincy disputes lingering in Gonja Kingdom.”

They appealed to the president to help solve the problems in Gonjaland because the entire Gonja Kingdom is divided because of political influence and abuse of power.

From Eric Kombat, Damongo