KPC Condemns the enskinment of New Bawku Naba

The Kusaug Peoples Congress (KPC) has expressed shock and dismay at the news of the enskinment of a New Bawku Naba.

On Wednesday 15^th February, 2023, the Mamprusi faction in the protracted Bawku conflict enskinned a new Bawku Naba. This event took place at the palace of the overlord of Mamprugu, Naa Bohugu Mahama Abdulai Sherigah II despite the recognition of Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II by the government and the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs as the legitimate ruler of the area.

Several Ghanaians, including the government have condemned this development saying it can escalate the already delicate situation in Bawku.

To this, KPC in a press statement released on Thursday the 16^th of February, 2023 says it is closely monitoring how;

1. The Government, led by His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Vice President His Excellency Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, himself a Mamprusi, rise to the occasion and stand for the rule of law, the Constitution and Laws of Ghana that they swore to protect.
2. The Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo responds to the obvious disregard of his authority by the Nayiri, who in his own mind has presumed more powers than he the President of the Republic. Nayiri has called the bluff of the Office of the President and we wait to see whether the Presidency will act decisively this time around and put finality to this criminal act.
3. The Security Services will rise to the occasion to protect the rule of law, the Constitution and Laws of Ghana, which have been trampled upon by the Mamprusis in Bawku and the Nayiri. A terrible message of everybody for himself and God for us all will be sent to all the people of Ghana and Kusaug in particular if no concrete action is taken.
4. The Security Services will go about enforcing the clear orders in the statement issued by the Minister of Information for the arrest of the imposter Bawku Naba. Indeed, KPC calls on the state to arrest and prosecute the Nayiri and his elders for clear contempt of court, if indeed Government believes in its own public statements, including that of the President, that the Supreme Court has ruled on the Bawku Skin and that Asigri Abugrago Azoka II is indeed the gazetted Bawku Naba.
5. The National House of Chiefs and Upper East Regional House of Chiefs will act to save the chieftaincy institution from public ridicule. We call on the National House of Chiefs to expel the Nayiri, and publicly declare his action null and void. And on the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs to denounce the actions of the Nayiri as criminal interference into the affairs of the Region and to reject the imposter “Bawku Naba”.

Read the full statement below;

KUSAUG PEOPLES CONGRESS (KPC)

16th February, 2023

PRESS RELEASE

 

The Kusaug Peoples Congress (KPC), an apolitical, non-partisan and non-religious association for the people of Kusaug has learnt with dismay the reckless and lawless action of the Nayiri and Chief of Nalerigu, Naa Bohugu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga II, who is said to have enskinned a Mamprusi man as a rival Chief for Bawku, the paramount seat of the Kusaug Traditional Area. We see this action by the Nayiri as an extreme provocation and escalation of the already bloody situation in Bawku and its environs. We see it also as complete defiance of clear Government orders from as high an office as that of the President of the Republic of Ghana and Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces. We equally view the action of the Nayiri as a provocation of all Kusaas, a brazen infringement of the sovereignty of Kusaug, a display of utter contempt of an existing ruling by the Supreme Court of the land, a total defiance to the Office of the President of the Republic, and as calling the bluff of the security apparatus of the nation. By his actions, the Nayiri is telling the whole nation that he is above all the laws of Ghana, and that his office as a tribal chief is not governed by the constitution of the Republic of Ghana.

The illegal action of the Nayiri is yet another test of the resolve of the Government to uphold the rule of law in Ghana. Since the outbreak of the current conflict over the Bawku Skin in November 2021, the Government has demonstrated lack of strength, lack of political will and lack of transparency and commitment as demonstrated below:

1. The Mamprusis in Bawku openly defied the orders of the Government not to perform the funeral of their so-called chief who was posthumously deskinned in 1983. The order was blatantly defied and the funeral performed. A few arrests were made after that but nothing has since come out of those arrests and the perpetrators are walking free as we write. The inaction of the Government on this matter further emboldened the Mamprusis to continue to act with impunity.
2. The Government has rightly declared its support for the 2003 Supreme Court ruling on the case and declared that Asigri Abugrago Azoka II is the lawful Bawku Naba, enskinned as far back as 1984. The Mamprusis in Bawku installed a “Regent of Bawku” in open defiance and despite several calls to arrest the so-called regent, no action was taken. What is even worse, Government functionaries continue to give open and tacit recognition to the so-called Regent by visiting and addressing him in official correspondence as such.

These actions and inactions by the Government again provided further encouragement to the Mamprusis in Bawku and the Nayiri to continue to act with impunity.

3. 3. Rumours were rife that the Nayiri was going to enskin a Mamprusi Bawku Naba. Government functionaries in both the Upper East and North East Regions cannot claim to have not heard about these rumours. If the security and intelligence community wants the nation to believe that they never picked up any intelligence about the enskinment, then Ghana is in a serious trouble. We believe such a failure of intelligence is not only an indictment on the intelligence community of Ghana, but it gives rise to suspicion of official collusion and complicity at some level. Under the circumstances and with all the information we have gathered, we have come to the firm conclusion that the Government of His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Vice President His Excellency Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia have not been honest brokers in handling the Bawku conflict, especially in enforcing the rule of law. Obviously, all the public pronouncements by the President and his ministers have all been that: mere pronouncements!

Equally troubling is the silence of the Vice President on the Bawku crises. The people of Kusaug have heard enough official pronouncements. The time for action by the Government in enforcing the law is long overdue and that time is NOW! We will not rest with yet another statement at the cost of more lives, destruction of property and waste of tax-payers monies.

Just this month, the Minister of Defence told Parliament and the people of Ghana that Bawku has an Overlord in the person of Zugraan Asigri Abugrago Azoka II and that the Bawku conflict is purely a criminal matter. He further indicated that the Nayiri had been informed of Government’s position on the matter and he, the Nayiri, had indicated his intention to go to court and challenge the status quo.

The action by the Nayiri is clear proof that he has no respect for State institutions and due process, and that his words do not mean much to himself. The meddling of the Nayiri is costing lives not only in Bawku and the Kusaug Traditional Area, but in other parts of the Upper East and even the Savana regions. This is public knowledge, and yet, State institutions meant to enforce law and order have watched and done nothing.

Kusaas have long been known to be very peaceful and law-abiding people. Thus, KPC encourages all the sons and daughters of Kusaug to maintain same posture even in these times of extreme provocation and aggression. We shall not let the criminal act of Nayiri and the criminal gang of Mamprusi settlers in Bawku define who we are. Let us remain calm and observe how:

1. The Government, led by His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Vice President His Excellency Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, himself a Mamprusi, rise to the occasion and stand for the rule of law, the Constitution and Laws of Ghana that they swore to protect.
2. The Commander-In-Chief of the Ghana Armed Forces, His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo responds to the obvious disregard of his authority by the Nayiri, who in his own mind has presumed more powers than he the President of the Republic. Nayiri has called the bluff of the Office of the President and we wait to see whether the Presidency will act decisively this time around and put finality to this criminal act.
3. The Security Services will rise to the occasion to protect the rule of law, the Constitution and Laws of Ghana, which have been trampled upon by the Mamprusis in Bawku and the Nayiri. A terrible message of everybody for himself and God for us all will be sent to all the people of Ghana and Kusaug in particular if no concrete action is taken.
4. The Security Services will go about enforcing the clear orders in the statement issued by the Minister of Information for the arrest of the imposter Bawku Naba. Indeed, KPC calls on the state to arrest and prosecute the Nayiri and his elders for clear contempt of court, if indeed Government believes in its own public statements, including that of the President, that the Supreme Court has ruled on the Bawku Skin and that Asigri Abugrago Azoka II is indeed the gazetted Bawku Naba.
5. The National House of Chiefs and Upper East Regional House of Chiefs will act to save the chieftaincy institution from public ridicule. We call on the National House of Chiefs to expel the Nayiri, and publicly declare his action null and void. And on the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs to denounce the actions of the Nayiri as criminal interference into the affairs of the Region and to reject the imposter “Bawku Naba”.

In conclusion, KPC wishes to call on all the sons and daughters of the Kusaug Traditional Area, both home and abroad to remain vigilant and ready to defend the sovereignty of the Kusaug State with all the means and avenues provided in the constitution of the land.

Thank you!

Long live Zugraan Asigri Abugrago Azoka II; Long live KPC; Long live Bawku; Long live

Kusaug!

Signed

Rev. Prof. John Azumah – President

Lawyer Maxwell Z. Agbambilla – 1st Vice President

Ms Rodaline I. Ayarna – 2nd Vice President

For Immediate Release to All Media Houses

 

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