Business community worried over Bolga chieftaincy conflict

Bolgatanga, Aug. 12, GNA - The Business Community in the Bolgatanga Municipality has called on the Government to, as a matter of urgency, find lasting solution to the Bolgatanga chieftaincy conflict as the area was becoming fragile each passing day.

The business owners made the call in an interview with the Ghana News Agency and said the area was becoming unsafe for business transactions.

A Bolgatanga High Court, Presided by Mr Jacob Boon, had annulled an earlier ruling by the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs that legitimised the enskinment of Naba Awogeya Lemna Alafia Abilba IV, as Paramount Chief of the Bolgatanga Traditional Area.

The ruling, as interpreted by the court, means that for now Bolgatanga has no chief.

On Sunday night the GNA gathered that the conflict sparked again recording some injuries.

The Upper East Regional Security Council held an emergency closed door meeting on Tuesday to deliberate on the incident, which has been described by the Business Community as unfortunate and disturbing.

Mr Henry Bakiye, the Chief Executive Officer of Rykivella Ventures, bemoaned the continuous litigation and said it had affected business activities.

He said there was too much fear, suspicion and mistrust among residents and businesses and called on the Government to intervene.

Madam Lamisi Angmeliga, a clothes dealer, said: 'Chieftaincy has got nothing to do with politics, government must help the people to resolve the problem to halt these fatalities.'

Hajia Amina Iddrisu, a trader at the Old Central Market, complained about the sharp decline in sales, adding; 'we depend on our suppliers for credit to do business but these days there is no sales and our creditors are on us.

'Government must intervene to solve the problem once and for all. These court rulings can't solve chieftaincy problems,' she added.

The conflicts begun about three years ago with the passing on of the Paramount Chief of Bolgatanga Traditional Area, Naba Martin Adongo Abilba IV.

Since then, there has been succession dispute over enskinment rights and rights to the skin, which the Regional House of Chiefs, following historic precedents, turned down a petition by the Apagre Family that presented Mr Joseph Apagre as its candidate whom the Overlord of Mamprugu enskined.

The GNA observed that since Monday, businesses in the Bolga Township close early and by 2000 hours only a handful of them are seen operating.

GNA