The office block of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) in Talensi, a district in Upper East Region, has been set on fire following the announcement of John Millim Naabwomya as the District Chief Executive (DCE) nominee for the area.
Some Talensi residents said a large number of young men torched the party office around 2:30 a.m. on Saturday (today) hours after the announcement on Friday.
This is the first time such an incident has rocked the area in the history of DCE nominations since Ghana returned to democracy from khaki rule in 1992.
The faces and the reasons behind the fire are not yet known. But what is generally known is that countless NDC supporters and natives of the district strongly prefer any of the other aspirants to Naabwomya (the party’s constituency chairman) because they suspect he is a “loyal foot soldier” of the paramount chief of Talensi, Tongraan Nanlebegtang Kugbilsong.
The paramount chief had served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for the area on the ticket of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) until he became a chief on Wednesday, 29 April 2015. Those supporters believe President John Mahama indirectly has appointed the paramount chief as the DCE of Talensi by nominating Naabwomya for that position.
They also suspect Naabwomya is a close associate of one of the Chinese mining companies in the district. There was also a strong public suspicion prior to his nomination that one of the Chinese companies provided some traditional chiefs with huge amounts of money to lobby and secure the DCE nomination on his behalf.
A picture showing a long queue of associates and royals moving with him into an aircraft at an airport was widely circulated on social media last month. They suspect the journey was part of the lobbying efforts in Accra.
The supporters also believe Naabwomya would protect the Chinese companies in the district instead of holding them to account. And they are of the view that he would team up with some of the traditional chiefs, who have been supporting and defending the Chinese companies, to frustrate the individuals and groups involved in the struggle for the true development of the area and the rights of its people.
Some natives of the area lodged a separate petition with the regional executive body of the party against him during the vetting process in January, 2025.
“This is a very sad day,” said a native, Patrick Yinbang, on Friday. “How can the NDC do this? Who does this?”
Another resident, Yakubu Mbanso, described the nomination on Saturday as “an insult” to the “soul of the party” in the district and “a big mess”.
Police visit scene
Officials of the Talensi District Police Command visited the scene of the fire ruins at Tongo, the district’s capital, today.
But when contacted this afternoon, the Upper East regional chairman of the party, Alhaji Mumuni Bolnaba, told this media outlet he was unaware the party office had been burnt.
As the police moved around the building, they took pictures of smashed tinted glasses of the windows, half-burnt bales of official documents and some other valuables which were almost reduced to ashes before a team of firefighters arrived.
The other nominees are: Isaac Azunaba, Bawku Municipality; James Ayamwego, Bawku West District; Ariku Martin Akudugu, Binduri; Roland Atanga Ayoo, Bolgatanga Municipality; Jacob Abugri Aka-Eri, Bolgatanga East District; Akaseke Joseph Abaa, Bongo District; and Aguri Haruna Abdul Rahim, Pusiga District.
Also on the nomination list are: Akogti Solomon Ansoabayie, Builsa North Municipality; Anne Musah, Builsa South District; Abaare Akugba John, Garu District; Faustina Akeyom Abulu, Kassena-Nankana Municipality; Stephen Aeke Akurigo, Kassena-Nankana West District; Francis Tobig Yenwoma, Nabdam District; and Mbilla Joseph Ayaaba, Tempane District.
Source: Edward Adeti/Media Without Borders/mwbonline.org/Ghana
