The Bawku Police in the Upper East Region have thwarted attempts by the Mamprusis to celebrate this year�s Damba festival.
Last week, the aggrieved Mamprusis petitioned the Upper East regional Minister to allow them celebrate the festival for the first time in five years.
They promised to return to the Bawku Inter Ethnic Peace Committee negotiating table if they were allowed to celebrate this year�s Damba festival.
But the Bawku divisional police command has rejected their request on security grounds.
Bawku Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent Ebenezer Kwaku Asare told Citi News the Mamprusis failed to officially notify the Bawku Naaba on their intension, hence the decision to reject their request.
�On the 18th they brought a letter notifying the police that they wanted to celebrate the Damba festival so we called them and asked whether they have notified the overlord that is the Bawku Naaba because we know we have one recognized chief at Bawku; but during our deliberations, they did indicate that they don�t recognize the Bawku Naaba and this is likely to lead to breach of the peace.�
He explained, �We asked them to postpone it and then do well to notify the Bawku Naaba; they agreed yesterday and brought a letter indicating that they have postponed it and yet still they failed to notify the Bawku Naaba and we being the security feel if we allow this celebration to go on it will lead to a breach of the peace.�
But Spokesperson for the Mamprusi youth in Bawku, Abukari Gumah vehemently disagreed with the Bawku Police Commander�s standpoint.
He accused government of taking sides in the age long protracted chieftaincy dispute in Bawku between the rival Mamprusis and Kusasis.
�We told them that we are royals and even if we are not royals the Damba festival is our culture and is not only royals who celebrate Damba and it is an intrusion into our cultural right; for the long time the government has been telling people that they are putting efforts to restore peace in the Municipality, it is a fuss, it is a propaganda mechanism.�
Abukari Gumah condemned the development and described it as selective justice.
�As enshrined in the cultural rights and practices, Article 26 guarantees every Ghanaian to observe and practice his or her culture and tradition and we are denied.�
He likened the current development in Bawku to then Apartheid era in South Africa saying, �This means there is a system of segregation that is being practiced in Bawku here; the system of Apartheid that was practiced in South Africa is been introduced in Bawku here against one faction.�
Abukari Gumah fumed, �Bimobas, Bisas and Kusasis observed their festivals and Mamprusis are denied are we not Ghanaians.�
Source: citifmonline
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