Information reaching Bole based Nkilgi Fm indicates that Hajia Barikisu Losina Watara has been replaced as DCE for the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District because of the ethnic political dynamics in the constituency as result of the resolve of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) to win the seat for the first time in the 2024 elections.
A popular political figure in the constituency Rev. James Kipo Sunyehzi is lacing his boots to contest as an Independent candidate.
The NPP candidate for the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency as PRO of the Lobi Youth Association was known to be a tribal bigot and a known hater of Gonjas who are the land owners. He has engineered many ethnic issues between Gonjas and Lobis in the constituency, and there are many of his audios and write ups challenging and calling for Lobis to defy Gonja Traditional authority.
So the whole strategy of NPP is to get Vaglas and Gonjas to vote for the tribla bigot and NPP candidate Ankaara Sankara.
The sacked DCE Hajia Barikisu Losina Watara seem not to have a strong political base in the constituency especially having lost as NPP Parliamentary candidate to Ankaara Sankara who is a political neophyte but won as NPP candidate as a result of the ethnic dynamics in the constituency.
Rev. James Kipo Sunyehzi who is Vagla and partly Gonja seem to enjoy massive support from two ethnic groups Vaglas and Gonjas as well as those from the quasi Wala groups who constitute about % of voters in the constituency
The newly appointed DCE Jacob Dumakawe is therefore expected to neutralise the support base of Rev. James Kipo Sunyehzi to pave way for the NPP Candidate to win the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency seat in 2024.
The father of the newly appointed DCE is a Vagla and his mother a Gonja from Sarfope Royal gate of Bole. The mother of Jacob Dumakawe is a biological daughter of Bolewura Tokoro, one of the prominent Gonja fmailies in the area.
Nkilgi Fm broke the news that a Deputy National Coordinator at Ghana Boundary Commission Rev. James Kipo Sunyehzi as lacing his boots to contest as an Independent Parliamentary candidate in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency of the Savannah Region.
In a strongly worded write up on a closed WhatsApp group, the former District Chief Executive (DCE) for the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District under the J.A. Kufuor administration and a former NPP Parliamentary for the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency in the 2016 election wrote; “..So soon and very soon, I will come out to say it all and announce publicly my next line of action. I promise you, there will be so much massive political tsunami across the STK and beyond that it will take a generation to restore. Stay tuned!”
Rev. James Kipo Sunyehzi, a popular figure in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency was appointed Deputy National Coordinator at Ghana Boundary Commission in December 2021 but in a twist came out boldly to explain how he has not paid him for over two years.
He wrote,
“The NPP family in Sawla-Tuna-Kalba (STK), I bring you warm greetings.
After over 2 years of working at the Ghana Boundary Commission without any salary, it now appears my appointment was either a big scam or ‘political punishment’ This is gross disregard not just to my person but also to the good people of STK especially the NPP family. Why isn’t this happening to any other appointee in the Savannah Region? Let no man miscontrue my calmness and humility to be stupidity.
He added; “I’m not oblivious of the fact that many people across STK look up to me. Now even funerals of family and party members I can’t attend. I refuse to become a begger in a party I have been a member since my first year at the University of Ghana, in 1996. There’s a limit to being reasonably patient”.
The former NPP Parliamentary Candidate for the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency further said; “I remember vividly how my big brother, Vugu was neglected by this party until his death. I refuse the same fate”.
Rev. James Kipo Sunyehzi has always be hailed for his immense contributions to the NPP even as student. As DCE from 2004 to 2008, the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District saw an unprecedented massive development making him the most popular NPP political figure in the area.
During the 2016 elections Rev. James Kipo Sunyehzi as the parliamentary candidate singlehandedly provided vehicles, motorbikes, bicycles, fuel for campaign, about 10,000 party T-shirts, billboards, food and several posters during the campaign.
The Sawla-Tuna-Kalba constituency is known to be an NDC stronghold but in the 2016 Parliamentary elections Rev. James Kipo Sunyehzi as NPP Parliamentary Candidate polled a high percentage of votes with his 8,301 (32.16%) as compared to the NDC Parliamentary candidate that polled 17,209 (66.68%).
Source: nkilgifmonline.com
