The chiefs and people of Bimbagu in the Bunkprugu–Nakpanduri in North East region have appealed to National Security and the National House of Chiefs to stop the ongoing engagements to elevate a sub-divisional chief, Nanik Daana, to a paramountcy status.
The residents said they are opposed to the decision by the North East Regional House of Chiefs and the Mamprugu Traditional Council to promote the chief of Naniik.
They described the intended action as unacceptable and provocative whilst warning of a potential bloodshed if authorities do not quickly intervene. At a press conference in Bimbagu, the chief and his people also warned the Naniik Daana ever to step foot in Bimbagu if he’s elevated.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the press, we wish to; by this press conference send a strong word of caution to the North East Regional House of Chiefs and the National House of Chiefs. We invite them on the side of caution not to elevate the Naniik Daana to Paramountcy status because it has the potential to ignite armed violence between the two communities”, the residents warned in the statement read by the youth secretary, Lawrence Tiibey Japiong.
“We are therefore calling on them to do the needful by not elevating the said chief for peace to reign. Otherwise, we the youth will use other options and means necessary to bring lasting peace to our community once and for all.”
The angry Bimbagu residents accused one Lawyer Augustine Mahama, a native of Yunyoo, of being the one leading the ongoing efforts to elevate the Naniik Daana. They also cautioned him to stay away from matters about Bimbagu and its localities.
They also challenged the qualification and illegibility of the Naniik Daana to become a Paramount Chief.
“We want to state emphatically here that the Naniik Daana is our guest. He is a guest of the Bagri Daana and any attempt to change the status quo will be resisted fearlessly. The facts must be told that the Naniik Daana is a settler within the Bagri Daana’s jurisdiction and on our farmlands”.
The residents also explained that they had petitioned all the relevant institutions since they first heard the news of the elevation in 2022, and that none of these institutions, including the National Security and the National House of Chiefs, had responded.
“We, as peace lovers, have communicated to all those who matter in this respect as you can see from the exhaustive list of our correspondences. We are using this medium for the last time to call on the National Security Minister, the Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, the North East Regional Minister to pray on the North East Regional House and the National House of Chiefs to halt immediately the process or actions meant to elevate the Naniik Daana to Paramountcy in the interest of peace, and to give peace a chance in Bimbagu and its environs.”
The residents concluded by repeating the vow to ostracize the Naniik Daana from the Bimbagu Naniik community “should he be elevated to Paramountcy against all odds.”
