The chiefs and people of Mankpan in the Central Gonja District of the Northern Region are demanding the removal of their District Chief Executive, Mahama Mustapha, over allegations of not seeking the interest of the area.
According to them, the DCE together with deputy chief of staff Abu Jinapor, have deliberately schemed for an emergency medical centre which was to be constructed in Kabilpe, to be relocated to Buipe.
“The DCE is making frantic efforts for the site of the project to be changed from Kabilpe to Buipe township simply because the Buipewura has threatened to remove him [the DCE] from office” spokesperson for the people, Dari Dawuda said.
The central Gonja District is made up of five paramountcies – Mankpan traditional area, Buipe traditional area, Tulwe traditional area, Kosawgu traditional area and Deber traditional area with Buipe as the district capital.
In 2016, former President Mahama at a Gonjaland youth congress in Buipe stated government has awarded contract for the construction of a District Hospital to cater for emergency situations along the Tamale – Kumasi highway.
The then DCE, Shiraz Ibn Suraj, secured a land at Kabilpe, few kilometers away from Buipe for the construction of the hospital.
Contractors consequently moved to site in 2017 and cleared the land for work to commence. They deposited over 30 trips of sea sand, roofing sheets and other materials at the site for the start of the project.
However, President Akufo-Addo weeks ago cut sod for the construction of the hospital but at this time at Buipe, which the chiefs and people say, was due to the machinations of the Buipewura, the DCE and Abu Jinapor.
They have thus petitioned the President to relieve the DCE of his post and also ensure that the hospital is taken to the old site at Kabilpe.
“The new site is near to a fuel station; a gas fuelling station and a stream known as the Lee stream which can lead to destruction of lives and properties if the hospital is built on that land” Dawuda said.
He stated among other reasons that the land at Kabilpe is at a strategic location on the Tamale – Kumasi highway hence will enable accident victims to have prompt emergency care.
According to him, the selfish interest of the DCE and some few individuals in Buipe is causing unnecessary delay in the execution of the project which is not in the best interest of the people.
Meanwhile the people and the chiefs say any attempt by the President to allow the construction of the hospital to start at the new site will bring about chaos and anarchy within the district because the people of Mankpan are not ready for any such move.
“The contractor has already spent millions of cedis on the project at Kabilpe and as such there shall be mass action by the good people of Central Gonja to resist any attempt by the DCE and his cohorts who want to put our lives in danger,” they stated in the petition which was submitted to the DCE.
Receiving the petition, Mustapha appealed for calm and urged them to use the appropriate channels to seek redress and not to resort to violence to destabilize the district.
He assured them the petition will be forwarded to the president.
By Christopher Amoako|3news.com|Ghana