A Presidential staffer and a member of the New Patriotic Party, Napaga Tia Sulemana has said a mere apology from the Deputy Minister of Agriculture is not enough for his insulting comments about Northerners.
The Presidential staffer in a post on Facebook said ” I can say on authority that Dagomba are the most hospitable people I have encountered in my life. We might be coming from one of the poorest and most deprived areas in Ghana but that doesn’t mean we don’t have dignity or integrity. We are very “proud” people who respect ourselves and others so well irrespective of where you come from. We are one disciplined group of people who tread cautiously in our own space. You can confirm this from most southerners who have taken the Northern region as their homes”.
She acknowledged that “Dagombas just like other tribes and humans surely will have some bad nuts but not a basis to label us all as difficult and liars. We might appear to be one defenseless, small, distorted poor tribe but we can be very loud if you want to take us for a ride. We surely will ‘fight ‘back if you disrespect us”.
Read details of her Facebok post:
So, here I am in bed, just struggling with myself to understand why on earth a deputy minister of state will look at the people who hosted him almost all his life(27 yrs) according to him, in the face and tell us we are difficult people and also that we lie to extort money from government. I am very sure this was said without any evidence.
My name is Napaga, a pure Dagomba royal (both parents). I was born, raised and educated in the northern part of Ghana with most of my education undertaken in Tamale.
I can say on authority that Dagomba are the most hospitable people I have encountered in my life. We might be coming from one of the poorest and most deprived areas in Ghana but that doesn’t mean we don’t have dignity or integrity. We are very “proud” people who respect ourselves and others so well irrespective of where you come from. We are one disciplined group of people who tread cautiously in our own space. You can confirm this from most southerners who have taken the Northern region as their homes.
We might not be rich as other regions but trust me, we are not hungry people. For several years, we have done mainly subsistent farming and have fed ourselves on it without much government intervention. Same subsistent farming has brought most educated Northerners where we find ourselves today. Therefore I find it very difficult that someone wakes up one morning and decide to label all of us liars and difficult people. Kaman how!!
Dagombas just like other tribes and humans surely will have some bad nuts but not a basis to label us all as difficult and liars. We might appear to be one defenseless, small, distorted poor tribe but we can be very loud if you want to take us for a ride. We surely will ‘fight ‘back if you disrespect us.
My dear Hon, we being as hospitable as we are, took you in and feed you for 27 years( I am sure you would have done more years If you had the chance to) and today you are biting same fingers that fed you. How interesting!
A mere apology is not what we are demanding but more. It is tribalistic statements like these from the very few ones like you that makes life very difficult for the NPP in the north. Dagombas are Northerners, Ghanaians and are humans as well, who also have blood running through our veins. We deserve far better from your likes. It’s indeed painful. Those sitting unconcerned and making it look like it’s a small issue we are blowing out of proportion, today it’s about the Dagombas, tomorrow it might be you. When your neighbors house is on fire 🔥 and you sit unconcerned, remember you might be next. We are one people and one 🇬🇭
A High court in Tamale has granted bail to a man brought before it on police charges that he defrauded and stole nearly one million cedis from a company he worked with to bankroll activities of the New Patriotic Party in the Northern region.
The court had delayed making a decision on whether to grant him bail on Thursday, August 17, a day after he was arrested following a shocking disclosure that the regional minister had deep ties and his name was mentioned many times in the suspect’s narrations.
The suspect, Alhassan Hafiz Sibdoo has worked for more than seven years as salesperson at the As- Sahabah company, a cosmetic firm that supply detergents and soaps in large quantities in the region.
On 16th of this month, the manager of the company Prince Osman Sahabi caused his arrest after he found that an amount of GH935,87 was missing and couldn’t be accounted for by the salesman.
This was after he had openly explained to his boss that he did political financing with the sales and mentioned that the regional minister, Salifu Saeed encouraged him and pledged that all his money will be refunded when the party was in power and he (minister) occupied a political office.
But after victory for the NPP and Salifu Saeed being appointed as minister, what the poor salesman received regularly from executives of the party including the minister were broken promises and outright deceit that has finally expose into a snare.
The manager had tried to engage with some of the regional executives for a settlement but their languishing attitude towards the negotiations compelled him to take the legal action. There had been several meetings and non-yielded progressive results.
Starr News revealed the executives consistently failed to keep their word and kept making shifting pronouncement. Sources told StarrNews there were evidences to prove he financed the party and some activities of the regional minister.
On August 17, when the case called at the High Court 2 presided over by His Honor William Appiah Twumasi, Allhassan Hafiz said once again that he invested in strengthening the regional communication directorate by empowering communicators and organizing Quran recitals for the party.
He said he did that because the regional minister guaranteed a quick refund when he was given a position to serve.
Following many other revelations and compelling facts, the judge allegedly ordered the prosecutors to extend investigations into the minister’s office and remanded the fraud and theft suspect for two weeks.
However, when the case was called again on Monday, August 28, 2017 prosecutors did not divulge the content of their probe and only handed it over to the Judge in a written statement who also made no comment about the report.
The suspect who was looking sad, uncertain and hopeless whiles the judge was busily entering records of the day’s proceeding, raised up his finger immediately after the court clerk mentioned the case. The Judge’s attention was drawn and he sustained to grant him hearing.
Hafiz then pleaded guilty of the charges and begged not be sent to jail after pledging to refund all money. His Honor William Twumasi taking into consideration the demeanor of the suspect convicted him on his own plea to a fine of GH3,000.00 or in default four years in prison.
A number of NPP regional communication members including Adam A. Gafaru, Gazale Mankarigu were in the court to support HafiZ Sibdoo. His family and friends also came in numbers and some verbally attacked manager of the company describing his as wicked for jailing his own worker.
Reports reaching a1radioonline.com suggests that the Kotobabi Police is hunting for Ghana’s Ambassador at large and Leader of the Peoples Convention Party (PNC) Dr Edward Nasigre Mahama to assist in a case of causing unlawful damage.
The hunt follows a complaint filed by the party’s ‘suspended’ General Secretary, Atik Mohammed.
Reports indicate that Dr. Mahama has for several weeks now, deliberately evaded the police and has also failed to turn himself in to the law enforcement agency.
It could be recalled that Dr. Mahama in the company of some party executives broke into the office of the General Secretary and changed the door lock and locked up the office because the party says he is ‘suspended’.
Although Atik attempted resisting the move, he failed in the end. The party said the action was necessary because Atik was being adamant in his suspension and still holding himself out as the PNC’s General Secretary.
Sources say Dr Mahama who has for sometime now kept assuring the police he’ll avail himself for investigations, has failed to honour his word and also disrespected them as he’s not provided any reasons for his inability to appear before them.
The police have expressed their displeasure over the conduct of Gynecologist cum politician as he’s yet to respond to a police invitation to him via a letter dated Wednesday 23rd August 2017.
Information available indicates that the Police may seek a warrant to arrest Dr. Mahama if he does not present himself to the Police.
President Nana Akufo-Addo, upon the recommendation of the Police Council has promoted seven Deputy Commissioners of Police to Commissioners of Police.
Also, 31 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs) have been promoted to Deputy Commissioners of Police.
There are now 14 Commissioners in the Ghana Police Service.
A statement from the Ghana Police Service said the 31 ACPs who have been promoted include officers from the general police pool and medical professionals.
Young actress, Clara Benson known Popularly as Maame Serwaa has disclosed that she is currently building a five bedroom apartment for her family out of the money she has made from acting movies since her childhood days.
The actress made this disclosure while she was speaking to celebrity blogger, Zionfelix on the ‘Celebrity Ride with ZionFelix’ show.
The young actress who has been rumoured as the richest Ghanaian kid actress also disclosed that she is currently not involved with any man like its been reported by several news outlets.
According to her, she is in love with God and is not ready to be in a relationship with any man because she is still under the watch of her parents.
The governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) over the weekend met its delegates to discuss the party’s future and plans to solidify their hold on to power.
At the well-attended event, officials of the party made merry and danced their hearts out to thank God for bringing them back to power and also ensuring that they are working towards achieving the ultimate; which is fulfilling their promises to Ghanaians.
Nana Akufo-Addo was not left out. The President exhibited some great dancing moves that caught the attention of everybody present at the event.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has scheduled an emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting Tuesday to discuss issues of security across the country.
Joy News has gathered the NDC General Secretary Johnson Asiedu Nketia’s alleged encounter with armed men in Suhum in the Eastern Region is one of the issues on the agenda.
The NDC General Secretary has said he witnessed the attack on a motorist by some armed men on his way to Accra from his village in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Narrating the incident to Omanhene on Asempa FM’s Ekosi Sen Monday, former lawmaker said the men who were in a Toyota Tundra vehicle with registration number GT 666 12 sped past him to stop a vehicle that was ahead of him just around the Suhum Township.
They got down from their vehicle brandishing AK47 rifle and grabbed the driver in the vehicle.
Mr Nketia said he then got out of his vehicle together with a friend to intervene and rescue the driver.
I had a friend army officer who was with me in the car so he got down first and identified himself and asked them what was their problem, he said.
I am not sure whether they are armed robbers because nobody made any attempt to rob me of my hard earned money or other valuables, he told the presenter.
Mr Nketia’s experience in Suhum comes months after government put in place measures to stem the tide of attacks across the country after the 2016 general elections.
The NDC’s emergency National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting will afford the party an opportunity to discuss the incident and how to avoid same in the future.
NDC National Organiser, Kofi Adams told Evans Mensah on Joy FM’s Newsnite the incident is a stark reminder to all Ghanaians that nobody is safe in the country of their birth.
“It started with an invasion of some of our homes, to courts and churches and now some political opponents are being attacked,” he lamented about past attacks.
Two police officers attached to the Bolgatanga Municipal Police station in the Upper East Region last Thursday evening went on a drinking spree at Yikeni, a suburb of Bolgatanga after which they brutalized about five residents of the community who were going about their normal businesses.
The two officers who were in their uniforms and wielded weapons were said to have driven an unregistered saloon car to a drinking spot at Yikeni. They later left the drinking spot and first attacked, chased and molested an old man who was clearing bushes along the road the Bolgatanga-Navrongo highway.
An eye witness who pleaded anonymity told this reporter that anyone who attempted to find out why the officers were beating up the people was not spared.
The eyewitness said; “I saw the man myself [the old man]. They were weeding – that they were given contract by the assembly to weed along the road so that there will be free flow of water and clear the grass. So the old man was weeding and there is also a drinking spot by that side. When I asked the old man what happened, he said he didn’t know. He said he was weeding and they [police officers] just pounced on him and started beating him. So he ran across the road. So the nearby people were now asking ah! Is he a thief or what? So they were also rushing to see what happened. Anybody who tried to find out what happened, they would beat you. The people I saw that they [police] beat were about five people. And they came with a car without number. And if you were there, you didn’t need somebody to tell you that they were drunk and they were in uniform”
He also said the officers fired warning shots and sprayed a substance he suspected was tear gas on the face of a young man he was also beaten up.
Assemblyman for the Yikeni Electoral Area, Mr. Nsoh Issaka, who was visibly disturbed about the gross misconduct of the police officers, lodged an official complaint at the municipal police station.
After meeting with the victims and some of their family members including the assemblyman, in his office, the municipal police crime officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Solomon Isahaku declined to give details of their discussion except to say the issue had been resolved.
Mr. Nsoh told TopNews Ghana after the meeting that: “I wanted to find out because there are some things worrying me because we are supposed to be working with the police. How they are patrolling if there is a criminal hiding, we will give them the information and they come and they are beating people and we want to find out and they are beating us, how do we give them information? People are going about saying that people don’t like police. If you are doing like this, how do we build trust and give information. I wanted to go further and say that you don’t hold a weapon and be drinking. If you hold a weapon and you are drinking, you know the drink can have an influence. As the two of them were sitting there – the two officers who were involved, I could see that they were drunk.”
When I wanted to talk, they were insulting me in the crime officer’s officer. The two of them insulted me that I’m stupid. If you are assemblyman and so what? What can you do?
The lawlessness among the police in recent times was becoming a major concern to many human rights activists. This gross misconducts are eroding police-public trust and if not checked by the police administration, policing especially in communities could be affected and would give way to the already-increasing crime rates in the country.
The Black Stars will begin preparations for their World Cup qualifying match against Congo at the Baba Yara Stadium, Kumasi on Monday August 28 at 3:30pm.
Players named in coach Kwesi Appiah’s 24-man squad are expected to start arriving in Ghana on Sunday evening.
The squad will move to Kumasi where coach Appiah and his technical team will take the players through various training sessions till Thursday.
The game is scheduled for Friday September 1 at the Baba Yara Stadium in Kumasi at 3:30pm.
The Black Stars will travel to Brazzaville for the return encounter which will be played on September 5.
The Minority in Parliament has asked the President, Nana Akufo-Addo to as a matter of urgency sack the deputy Agric Minister, Hon. William Quaitoo denigrating and heaping profuse insults on the people of the three Northern Regions of the country.
The Minoroty In a statement said “We find it totally unjustifiable and unacceptable that the Deputy Minister would label the entire people of the three Northern Regions who he says he has lived with for 27 years, as unreasonable people, accomplished and persistent liars, people with a high propensity for perpetrating fraud, people who all the time use these fraudulent acts to steal money from the state”.
“For the avoidance of any doubt, we in the Minority wish to serve notice that we take this matter serious and will demand and take all legitimate, legal and appropriate measures to bring the originator of this offensive, mischievous and divisive statement to order in the supreme national interest.”
It could be recalled that the deputy Minister in an interview with Starr News described farmers from the North who are demanding compensation for their crops destroyed by the army worm invasion as people who cannot be trusted and have intentions to defraud the government.
Mr. Quaitoo apologized after he was heavily criticized by residents in the Northern Region.
Below are details of the statement by the Minority
Statement by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Minority in Parliament on
The Ethnocentric and Tribal Bigotry of the Deputy Minister of Agriculture.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) minority in Parliament is shocked, outraged and dismayed by a statement in the media by a Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Hon. William Quaitoo denigrating and heaping profuse insults on the people of the three Northern Regions of the country.
In an interview with Starr FM an Accra based FM station last Thursday, the Deputy Minister made scurrilous and disparaging remarks about the people of the three Northern Regions to the effect that they are unreasonable and by the virtue of their unreasonableness, are not amenable to engagement in decent and reasonable discourse.
The Deputy Minister who said he was speaking from evidence of his 27 years sojourn In the North, went further to indict the people of the three Northern Regions as having a penchant for concocting and peddling falsehood, deliberate deceit and engaging in fraudulent activities to rip off the nation or steal state resources.
The Deputy Minister said he stayed in the North for 27 years and that he knows for a fact the unhealthy character of the people of the North and their difficulty in comprehending ordinary decent discourse and that there was no shred of evidence to support the claim of the farmers from the North that their farms were devastated by the Fall Army Worms menace.
That not only were these claims totally false but also that the peddling of these lies is ‘‘Just a way of stealing money from the government, that is what they do all the time‘‘
The Deputy Minister also disparaged our hard working farmers by describing them as not serious farmers deserving of any compensation from government either because their farms were too small or those affected by the Fall Army Worms were negligible or non-existent.
We find it totally unjustifiable and unacceptable that the Deputy Minister would label the entire people of the three Northern Regions who he says he has lived with for 27 years, as unreasonable people, accomplished and persistent liars, people with a high propensity for perpetrating fraud, people who all the time use these fraudulent acts to steal money from the state.
In other words the people of the three Northern Regions according to the Deputy Minister are lazy people who are also prone to peddle lies, perpetrate fraud and engage in constant theft of state resources.
We in the Minority first and foremost wish to state unequivocally that a significant number of our hardworking farmers have fallen victim to the devastating menace of the Fall Army Worms. Indeed the livelihoods of many families have been compromised by these Army Worm invasions across the three Northern Regions through the destruction of tens of thousands of hectares of maize farms.
While the Deputy Minister speaking for government may, without any sensitivity to the plight of our farmers seek to deny them just unfair compensation, he has no right to flaunt his arrogance and ignorance in their faces and call the entire people of the North unreasonable people, accomplished liars, lazy people, and thieves who persistently steal from the coffers of the state via these false pretences.
We see in this unjustifiable, bellicose and unprovoked attack on the people of the three Northern Regions, a deliberate and futile attempt by the Deputy Minster, to cover up the shameful and glaring act of incompetence and insensitivity of his ministry and ministers and the NPP government in the Fall Army Worm debacle. This behaviour lends eloquent testimony to the saying that, an insincere man who cannot carry his load blames it on his head pad. This clearly is ethnocentric tribal bigotry which not only has no place in our dear nation but is actually dangerous and potentially destabilising of our society.
Let it be said for the records (and for the education of the Deputy Minister who after 27 years stay in the North has learnt nothing about the good people), that the people of the three Northern Regions are among the most honest, truthful, hardworking and hospital people in the country.
Indeed we daresay there are no people on the face of this earth currently, who are as hospitable as the people of the three Northern Regions. The fact that he himself says he lived with the people of the North for 27 years without suffering any untoward incident, is eloquent testimony to the good and kind heartedness of the people of the three Northern Regions.
The Deputy Minister is rather the ingrate who after living off the generosity of the people of the North for 27 years, is subjecting them to such profound level of insults, ridicule and indignity. For this ingratitude and profuse lies, God will deal justly with him in his own time.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, our attention has also been drawn to a statement purported to have been issued by the Deputy Minister apologising for this sordid act.
We think that this is grossly inadequate, insincere, hypocritical, an afterthought and therefore not deep enough to assuage the profound pain and huge damage done to the good image, integrity and respect of the people of the three Northern Regions.
We accordingly call on our colleagues on the other side to join us in unconditionally and unreservedly condemning this crass ethnic bigotry exhibited by Hon. Quaitoo.
Additionally, we urge all decent minded Ghanaians who cherish the unity, peace, order, stability and progress of our nation, to join us demand the immediate resignation of Hon. Quaitoo as Deputy Minister of State and Member of Parliament.
Should he fail to quit these offices voluntarily and now, we call on the President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo, to fire him immediately as a mark of his revulsion against this unprovoked and reckless ethnocentric bigotry against the entire people of the three Northern Regions.
For the avoidance of any doubt, we in the Minority wish to serve notice that we take this matter serious and will demand and take all legitimate, legal and appropriate measures to bring the originator of this offensive, mischievous and divisive statement to order in the supreme national interest.
Thank you Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media and God Bless Ghana.
