Bolgatanga MCE, Hon. Joseph Amiyuure
The Bolgatanga Municipal Security Committee as part of measures maintain peace and order in the Bolgatanga Municipality, has decided to restrict the movement of people within and around Atulbabiisi from 10:00pm to 5:00am each day.
The directive to the Security personnel and residents is expected to stay till the Municipal Security Committee is sure that, total peace and stability has returned to the Atulbabiisi Community, located in the heart of the Bolgatanga Municipality.
The Municipal Chief Executive for Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, Hon. Joseph Amiyuure at a Media briefing, noted that, the restriction has become necessary following recent shootings in the area, which led to the death of an elderly man. Two others sustained various degrees of injuries in this latest disturbance.
The Atulbabiisi Community is where two Royals holding themselves as the Paramount Chief (Bolga-Naba) of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area, have their Palaces. Their followers have been at each others throat since May 2015 and at the least provocation, they fire guns at each other and end up either killing or injuring one or more people.
If the restriction of movement will be enforced strictly, then, many small businesses including barbering shops, internet cafes, betting centers, fast food joints and drinking bars will suffer, as they will be expected to close earlier than they do on normal days.
It is an open secret that, the recent disturbance in Atulbabiisi is in connection with a recent Court ruling, which “over turned” an earlier Upper East Regional House of Chiefs’ ruling in favour of “Bolga-Naba” Raymond Alafia Abilba IV.
In that earlier ruling, the Regional House of Chiefs up held an earlier ruling by the same Regional House of Chiefs in February 1988, which said, the Over-Lord of the Mamprugu Traditional Area, Nayire Naa Bohagu Mahamin Sheriga, is not the King-maker of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area, thereby only King-makers of Bolgatanga Traditional Area, have the power to enskin a Paramount Chief for the people of the Area.
The case of who among the two “Chiefs” is the legitimate Bolga-Naba will have to be heard again by the House of Chiefs per the recent Court ruling.
Meanwhile, there are claims by some persons connected to the Chieftaincy dispute, that, there are some “Political Hands” trying to influence decision making about the Bolgatanga Chieftaincy dispute and also fanning the periodic disturbance in the Atubabiisi area and the entire Bolgatanga Municipality.
However, Municipal Chief Executive for the Bolgatanga Municipal Assembly, Joseph Amiyuure, at the Municipal Security Committee interaction with the Media, on Wednesday August 2, dissociated himself from these claims, describing them as mere fabrications.
He has since appealed to the people of the Bolgatanga Municipality, especially those in Atubabiisi and others living close to the area, to remain calm and do away with unhealthy claims.
From: Ebo Bruce-Quansah, Bolgatanga