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Tamale, Ghana – Deputy Northern Regional Minister, Solomon Namlin Boar has denied any involvement in the shooting and killing of four persons at Najong Number One in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo District on December 10, 2017.
Unknown gunmen reportedly opened fire on residents of the area killing four of which one of the factions fingered the Deputy Minister who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for the area as the mastermind.
At an press conference held in Tamale, elders of the troubled community, wondered why the Minister they have entrusted their sovereignty and power cannot protect them but is allegedly backing one side against the other.
“It is clear and evident that the unrepentant Tanmung who have always found comfort in conflicts and trigger happy in almost all conflicts in Bimoba land, is happily and shamelessly involved in this cowardly and dastardly act of killing the four innocent souls with the support and blessing of their Kingpins; like Honourable Solomon N. Boar the MP for Bunkpurugu constituency and Deputy Regional Minister, Former MP Mr. Laar John Nirokinan (CEO of Rabito Clinic – Bunkpurugu) and one Mr. Kombat popularly known as ‘’Saa’’ at the blind side of some peace loving members of the Tanmung clan”
But the Deputy Minister in a response contained in a press release, denied all the claims against him.
“The author(s) of the press conference cited the non-drilling of boreholes in Sambiruk as a clear indication that I had taken sides hence my refusal to drill bore holes for the community which is predominantly of the Bauk clan. I am convinced that either the author(s) were misinformed, responded to the figment of their own imaginations or were simply mischievous. First of all, I have made public statements in the district to the chiefs and people of the constituency that I was not ready to risk sending anyone there to drill any borehole for the two communities until the return of peace in the area. My decision to stay away from the two communities came about in 2014, when I attempted drilling a borehole each for Sayeegu and Sambiruk. The siting of the boreholes became an issue and I withdrew the crew from the communities. They should cross check their facts to see if Sayeegu or Sambiruk have any functioning borehole in my name as Member of Parliament. In fact, apart from sending relief items to the two communities before the elections in December 2016, I decided not to even campaign in those communities.
In any case, I thought the author(s) of the press conference would have informed readers that I have drilled more boreholes as a member of parliament in Najong No.1 than any other community in the constituency. Was that action anti- Bauk?”
Read full text of his response below;
MEMBER OF PARLIAMENT FOR BUNKPURUGU CONSTITUENCY & DEPUTY MINISTER FOR NORTHERN REGION CAUTIONS THE BAUK CLAN IN THE BUNKPURUGU-NAKPANDURI DISTRICT NOT TO INFLAME TENSION WITH FALSE ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING THE SENSELESS SHOOTING INCIDENT IN NAJONG NO 1 ON THE 21ST OF DECEMBER 2018.
I want to use this opportunity ladies and gentlemen of the press, to wish you and your families a prosperous 2018. My wish is that we all remain strong to play our respective watchdog roles as citizens of the land in order to speed up the needed growth of this great nation.
You would recall that on the 21st of December 2017, a cross section of my constituents, organized a press conference in connection with the shooting incident at Najong No.1 in the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo district. Mr.G.D Yandam, one of the elders of the Bauk clan addressed the press conference in which I was accused because by birth I belong to the other clan (Tanmung), along with Mr. John Nurokina Laari (an MP during Dr. Limann’s administration and Mr. Abraham Konlaan) alias Saa, a business man both from the Bunkpurugu-Yunyoo constituency) also of the Tanmung clan, of playing a role in the unfortunate and Rambo style shooting and killing of four residents, indiscriminately by unknown assailants who escaped on motor bikes on a busy market day. Mr. Yandam and his colleagues’ allegations are of serious consequence and I have found it necessary to correct that erroneous impression that it might have created in the minds of Ghanaians.
- The author(s) of the press conference cited the non-drilling of boreholes in Sambiruk as a clear indication that I had taken sides hence my refusal to drill bore holes for the community which is predominantly of the Bauk clan. I am convinced that either the author(s) were misinformed, responded to the figment of their own imaginations or were simply mischievous. First of all, I have made public statements in the district to the chiefs and people of the constituency that I was not ready to risk sending anyone there to drill any borehole for the two communities until the return of peace in the area. My decision to stay away from the two communities came about in 2014, when I attempted drilling a borehole each for Sayeegu and Sambiruk. The siting of the boreholes became an issue and I withdrew the crew from the communities. They should cross check their facts to see if Sayeegu or Sambiruk have any functioning borehole in my name as Member of Parliament. In fact, apart from sending relief items to the two communities before the elections in December 2016, I decided not to even campaign in those communities.
In any case, I thought the author(s) of the press conference would have informed readers that I have drilled more boreholes as a member of parliament in Najong No.1 than any other community in the constituency. Was that action anti- Bauk?
- On the issue of a polling station for Sambiruk, I give this to you as a research to report back to the authors and the public, whether or not Sambiruk has a polling station. Again, this is a verifiable fact that Sambiruk has a polling station different from Sayoo. These polling stations existed before I became a member of parliament in 2013. What then is the reason for this mischief? Political expediency?
- Electricity poles – how can the matter of electricity poles be an issue against me to warrant such a scathing attack and name calling? The fact again is that since the NPP took over the reigns of government in January 2017, not a single pole has been sent to the area for electrification. Again, I ask that you assist the author(s) by verifying these allegations and cross check with the electricity corporation or the Volta river authority. This accusation is frivolous, and without merit. What at all do they want to achieve?
- Road blocks -The author(s) also mentioned of the road blocks that makes it difficult for the inhabitants of the Sambiruk community to move freely to other villages on that stretch. If an official report was sent to the then chairman of DISEC about it, then I am unaware about it. As an ex-officio member of the District Assembly I have no official correspondence on such a matter, and the security personnel have never complained of any illegal road blocks to me. If as a result of these needless allegations the author(s) is or are dragging my name in the mud, then they owe me an unqualified apology.
- Politics -Ladies and gentlemen in any case it does not surprise me that the reader of the press statement, Mr. Yandam, who was one of the campaign managers of my main opponent in the 2016 parliamentary and presidential elections and had vowed that he was going to bring me and my party down in the area but brutally failed unsure how he could mobilize some people I consider as right thinking to go on such a trajectory. I really consider this as mixing sensitive issues of peace with Politics. As far as am aware, Mr. Abraham Konlaan (alias saa) also mentioned as one of the brains behind the shootings is, without any iota of doubt, just like Mr. Yandam, also vowed over the years never to support me and my party in any national election. He is a financier just like Mr. Yandam of the main opposition party and was on the same campaign trail together with Mr. Yandam to bring me down in 2016, which God never permitted. Probably Mr. Yandam might know Mr. Abraham Konlaan (alias Saa) better than I do and can assist the security agencies do their work. As a legislature, I don’t believe in hearsay to advance any course of action.
- Mr. Nurokina – This former MP also alluded to in the press statement as far as I know him, is an honorable on all fronts and manages his private clinic in Bunkprugu. Mr. Nurokina will never support / sanction these types of acts. I believe the author(s) of the press conference, will be in a good position to justify why the 80-year-old man is complicit in the matter. A fact is that, one of those shot but who survived was in fact a direct brother in-law of Mr. Nurokina and one of those killed was also from Mr. Nurokina’s clan. I urge the authors to unreservedly retract and apologize to this honorable man as he continues to preach peace despite these defaming stories. I leave the investigations to the security agencies to let Mr. Yandam substantiate that claim.
- Ladies and gentlemen of the press, the author(s) of the press conference have described me as one of the kingpins of what happened. I will like to assure every Ghanaian that if the word kingpin will fit me at all in my life’s endeavor, I assure you that I will ever remain a kingpin of socio economic development, love for peace and respect for human dignity. I assure everyone in the district and in Ghana that I have never and will never involve myself in chieftaincy and land matters. I leave that to the house of chiefs, the various traditional councils and elders of the land. That is what my president, my leadership and party expect of me. My duty is to make laws and advocate for development for my people. I am however ready at all times to support in the facilitation of peace building in the area so as to attract the needed investment.
The government is marshalling resources to construct the Bunkpurugu-Nalerigu road for us. Everyone should support the government’s agenda and the new district hospital also in the offing to increase access to health care. Investors are everywhere scouting for opportunities for the one district one factory. We have the natural resources.
CONCLUSION
Ladies and gentlemen let me conclude by saying that we should at all times learn to abhor anything that is detrimental to societal peace. Let us learn to create an enabling platform to help the security agencies act with all the professionalism that is required of them. Let’s give peace a chance rather than politicizing every issue, unnecessary name mentioning and allegations with a hidden agenda of divide and rule. Setting our own questions and answering them as opinion leaders will not help the course of peace. I will at all times condemn what is evil not just as a member of parliament or deputy Minster but as a moral being. This is what I expect all of us to do and to persevere for peace.
I thank you all.
Solomon N. Boar, MP for Bunkpurugu Constituency
And Deputy Regional Minister Northern Region
Source:mynewsgh.com
