Naba Abeka Nonge-Buuri Malitinga in state
“Bolga-Naba” Naba Abeka Nonge-Buuri Malitinga and his principal Elders and Princes of the Seven Royal Clans to the Bolga-Skin, have described the recent ruling by the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, as unlawful and self-seeking action by the Judicial Committee Members, meant to satisfy their accomplices and incite violence in the Bolgatanga Traditional Area.
According to a statement read by the Chief’s Secretary, Asamannaba Bertrand at a press conference in Bolgatanga, he pointed out that the Judicial Committee acted unlawfully, disregarding law and order, and he vowed that they would use every legitimate process to address what they described as illegality.
“We totally respect the rule of law and hold the Upper East House of Chiefs in high regard, but, we do not accept this purportedly contrived ruling of the Judicial Committee and we shall use every legitimate process to expose the illegality.”
“We shall continuously restraint ourselves in the face of unsolicited provocations and lies, and will follow due process to establish that, Naba Abeka Nonge-Buuri Malitinga, is the customarily enskinned Chief of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area,” the statement said.
“We have instructed our lawyer to immediately initiate the appropriate legal process to ensure justice prevails. The seven Royal Clans of Bolga (Tanga), cannot be denied their birth right only for the selfish interest of Raymond Alafia Abilba, John Akparibo Ndebugre and the Judicial Committee of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs,” they stressed.
In May 2015 residents of Bolgatanga witnessed the enskinment of Raymond Alafia Abilba IV as Paramount Chief of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area, by the Traditional King-makers of the Traditional Area.
There was also the enskinment of Abeka Nonge-Buuri Malitinga, in Nalerigu, by the Over-Lord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Nayire Naa Bohagu Mahamin Sheriga, as the Paramount Chief of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area.
After a triumphant arrival into the Bolgatanga Municipality, “Bolga-Naba”, Naba Abeka Nonge-Buuri Malitinga filed a petition at the Judicial Committee of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs in June, 2015, to challenge the legitimacy of the enskinment of Raymond Alafia Abilba IV as “Bolga-Naba”.
The legal battle over who is the legitimate “Bolga-Naba” travelled from that date, till the Judicial Committee ruled on October 25, 2016 and up held an earlier ruling in 1988, which according to Lawyer John Ndebugre, declared that, the Bolgatanga Traditional Area king-makers, have the traditional powers to enskin a Paramount Chief for Bolgatanga and not the Nayire.
From: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga