These comprised Yunyoo, Bimbila, Daboya/Mankarigu, Nalerigu/Gambaga and Karaga, which have been identified as political hotspots.

The first phase of the elections were held in 24 out of the 31 constituencies, and these included the four main Tamale Central, Tamale North, Tamale South and Sagnarigu.

The second phase scheduled for Sunday, February 25, 2018 will be held in Salaga South, Salaga North and Zabzugu constituencies.

The NPP Northern Regional Communications Director, Issahaque A. Latif, told Citi News that the elections would be conducted in a total of 2,676 polling stations.

He described the first phase as generally peaceful, and anticipates that the whole exercise will be devoid of upheavals.

Issahaque A. Latif called for a united and a formidable NPP after the constituency elections.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The structure housing the JHS students can best be described as a farm shed, which school authorities have said is home to all sort of reptiles.

Mr. Abdulai Alhassan, the assistant headmaster of Karaga JHS, lamented to Citi News that studying under these conditions affects teaching and learning negatively at the school.

“These are dangerous teaching in this condition. Sometimes lessons have to be disrupted because of the reptiles invading the school. When lessons are going on, you will see students looking above just make sure that they are not hurt or bitten by the reptiles. Masters and students are always on the alert and this does not help at all,” he said

Abdulai Alhassan further explained due to the challenges faced by the school, many students prefer to attend other, more distant educational institutions in the region.

“The school is serving several communities around but because of the structure, it is not attracting enrollment. People prefer traveling daily to Bimbilla to attend classes and come back to their communities instead of enrolling in the school. Again due to nature of the structure blackboards and furniture of the school are left on the mercy of the weather,” he lamented.

He, therefore, appealed to the government through the Nanumba North district assembly and other civil society organizations to come to the aid of the school by providing the school with a modern classroom block.

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By: Mohammed Aminu M. Alabira/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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They were arrested after an official complaint filed by the under-fire Karaga District Chief Executive, Alhassan Yabdow, who was chased out of his office by some rampaging NPP youth.

[contextly_sidebar id=”hhiJnsXCHyafCwVZk0MhMpMl2uzrCUF0″]They were arrested four hours after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo reiterated the need for the law enforcement agencies to crack the whip on law breakers regardless of their political affiliation.

The constituency Chairman, Tahiru Yakubu, told Citi News that they are to report to the regional police command on Monday 30, October, 2017.

He commended the NPP regional leadership for their quick intervention in the case, and called for calm among party youth particularly his supporters who got infuriated by the DCE’s actions.

There is heavy security deployment in Karaga and its environs to forestall any renewed hostilities there.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Karaga NPP Chair, 4 others granted bail appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The rest are the acting constituency Secretary, Abdulai Ziblim, the Nasara Coordinator, Osman Baba, an elder of the NPP, Nyab Mahamang, and the Research Officer, Abdul Karim S. Alhassan, who has been granted self-recognizance bail.

[contextly_sidebar id=”aDgshZPEfj0grRkAsiYS9y0Mx8SUoUyA”]They were arrested after an official complaint was filed by the under-fire Karaga District Chief Executive, Alhassan Yabdow, who was chased out of his office in Karaga by some rampaging NPP youth.

The suspects are to assist the police in their investigations into the recent political upheaval in the Karaga constituency.

Their arrest came less than four hours after President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo reiterated the need for law enforcement agencies to crack the whip on law breakers regardless of their political affiliation.

This latest development has heightened tensions in the area, as some NPP youth have stormed the chief’s palace to demand their immediate release.

Meanwhile, there is heavy security presence in Karaga and its environs to forestall any renewed hostilities there.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Karaga NPP Chair, 4 others arrested over police station raid appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

As Chairman of the Regional Security Council, the unhappy Salifu Saeed said government can no longer tolerate such acts of hooliganism by the irate youth.

[contextly_sidebar id=”2vPqY5l6otsaR7DghAFfzeN2CjNGL5Iv”]Salifu Saeed in a Citi News interview, condemned the recent happenings in Karaga, and asked the law enforcement agencies there to stop such unlawful acts gaining notoriety in other parts of the region.

He reassured people of the entire region that the appropriate measures will be put in place to curtail any hostilities that will mar the implementation of pro-poor government policies including the planting for food and jobs, one district-one factory and free Senior High School among others.

Salifu Saeed reiterated the need for aggrieved party loyalists to respect the rule of law in seeking solutions to their concerns.

“President Nana Akufo Addo has sent a clear warning to party youth not to engage in acts that will break the rule of law because he himself is a peaceful person.”

“He wants Ghana to be repackaged to be one of the most peaceful countries we have in this part of the sub region.”

The Northern Regional Minister called for peaceful co-existence as plans are far advanced to bring to finality the age-long Dagbon chieftaincy impasse between the Abudus and Andanis.

Meanwhile, the Regional Security Council (RECSEC), has reinforced security presence in Karaga and its environs.

18 incidents of vigilante violence recorded since NPP’s victory

About 18 violent cases believed to be perpetrated by some youth aligned to the governing party have so far been recorded in the country.

Critics of the NPP have claimed that such groups have been acting lawlessly because of lack of commitment on the part of government to deal with them.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Deal with rampaging NPP youth – N/R Minister charges police appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

A Citi News source who was close to the scene, said the youth acted in that manner because the District Chief Executive of Karaga, Alhassan Yabdoo, allegedly caused the arrest of some NPP communicators.

[contextly_sidebar id=”GDKDU844HGiEUn0YV1lPQ7G1lkXv0HsN”]Meanwhile, when citifmonline.com contacted the police in the Northern Region, they confirmed that the youth were on rampage, but could not specifically confirm reports that they stormed the police station to free their colleagues.

The Public Relations Officer of the Northern Regional Police Command, ASP Mohammed Tanko, in an interview with citifmonline.com, said his outfit has not yet been briefed on the matter with regards to the suspects that were allegedly set free.

“I have not confirmed to you that some people were freed from the police cells…Our commander there has not yet briefed us on that,” he said.

But he confirmed that the irate youth locked up some offices of the district assembly.

“There was a problem in Karaga between the DCE and a section of the youth, and the report that we received indicated that, the youth went on rampage and locked offices of the district assembly. The police men there tried to contain the situation, but it was very difficult looking at the number of people who were rampaging against the number of policemen there. We have sent reinforcement from Tamale to augment their efforts.”

ASP Tanko said the police have currently been able to secure both the police station in Karaga as well as the district Assembly.

He said the DCE is also safe and currently in Tamale, the regional capital.

“What we are doing now is not to arrest. We are trying to secure the police station and also the district assembly premises to ensure that state property is not lost, and also we don’t lose life. Subsequently, we will go after the perpetrators and arrest them.  As I speak now, the DCE is very safe, he is in Tamale right now, he is with the crime officer writing his statement and trying to identify the persons so that we can get him arrested,” the police PRO added.

Angry NPP youth at Karaga lock out office of DCE

This is not the first time the youth have revolted against the DCE for Karaga.

They took a similar action in August 2017.

The action of the youth at the time, was as a result of a disagreement between the DCE, who, until his appointment, was the constituency secretary of the NPP, and the NPP constituency chairman, who was suspended during the 2016 electioneering but had since been reinstated.

Delta Force members vandalize court, set colleagues free

There have been several instances in the past where vigilante groups affiliated to political parties have taken the law into their own hands and vandalized state properties.

In April 2017, some members of pro-New Patriotic Party vigilante group, Delta Force, stormed a Kumasi court and set free their colleagues who were arraigned after they assaulted the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, Mr. George Adjei.

They court raiders were eventually freed for supposed lack of evidence to try them. Those who assaulted the Ashanti Regional Security Coordinator, were only sentenced to a fine of Ghc1,800 each, after they were charged for rioting.

They were also made to sign a bond of good behaviour for twelve months.

Some civil society groups and several Ghanaians have largely condemned sentence as being too lenient, suggesting the ruling party worked behind the scenes to protect the suspects.

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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana

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The burning of the phones is to reinforce strict compliance with the ban on the use of mobile phones in all second-cycle schools.

Citifmonline.com gathered that, some of the students ignored the school authorities’ incessant warning that the use of mobile phones in school will not be tolerated.

The affected students today [Thursday], threatened to embark on a demonstration against the decision, but the move was foiled by district police command.

The police rapid response team curtailed any untoward situation there.

The Ghana Education Service is against second-cycle students using mobile phones whilst in school.

This rule has often generated public debate on the use of mobile phones at the basic and second cycle institutions level.

While some education analysts argue that the ban is awkward, the Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior Schools (CHASS) believes it is the best disciplinary measure, and in the best interest of the students.

The Conference of Heads of Assisted Senior Schools (CHASS), argued that the use of mobile phones is a distraction to students, hence the ban.

Karaga SHS PTA backs the ban

The School’s Parents Teacher Association (PTA), met and resolved that the ban should be strictly enforced.

The school authorities have remained tight-lipped on the matter.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Karaga SHS burns phones of over 100 students appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Sulemana Ibn Saeed has particularly taken a swipe at the incumbent NDC Member of Parliament, Alhassan Sualihu Dandawa for allegedly neglecting the Karaga constituency.

Elated Sulemana Ibn Saeed in a Citi News interview claimed residents of Karaga will reject the Mahama-led governing NDC at the December 7 polls.

He is optimistic residents of Karaga will reward him for his contribution to the Karaga constituency as a former teacher and a social development worker.

He reiterated calls for party unity and urged his other contenders to rally behind him to boost his chances of winning the seat.

He insisted that the incumbent NDC Member of Parliament for the Karaga constituency, Alhassan Sualihu Dandawa has outlived his usefulness in Parliament.

He appealed the electorate to massively vote for him and Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo to improve their wellbeing.

The former Parliamentary candidate, Ibrahim Basha Shaharawi’s resignation on health grounds necessitated the NPP’s Parliamentary primary re-run in the Karaga.

Sulemana Ibn Saeed at the end of the primary emerged victorious with 208 of the valid votes cast.

His other two contenders, a former District Chief Executive for the Karaga district, Baba Wahab polled 168 votes against Imam Basha Firdaus who polled 28 votes.

Follow the hashtag #GhElections on social media for election-related stories

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NPP Karaga Parliamentary nominee scolds NDC appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Through a Parliamentary primary re-run on Saturday September 17 at the Karaga local authority primary school, he secured 208 out of the total votes cast.

His other contenders, a former District Chief Executive for the area, Baba Wahab, polled 168, whiles Imam Basha Firdaus polled 28 votes.

The re-run was necessitated when the former candidate, Ibrahim Basha Shaharawi, stepped down on health grounds.

The voting, supervised and conducted by the Electoral Commission, and witnessed by the NPP’s first Vice Chairman F. F Anto and the party’s Nasara Coordinator, Kamaldeen Abdullah, was generally peaceful.

Sulemana Ibn Saeed thanked the delegates for the confidence reposed in him and promised to wrestle the seat from the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) on December 7.

He called for party unity and urged his other contenders to rally behind him to boost his chances of winning the seat.

The Parliamentary re-run which was to be relocated to the Savelugu constituency for security reasons was finally held in Karaga.

Sulemana Ibn Saeed is in race with the NDC’s incumbent Member of Parliament, Alhassan Sualihu Dandawa.
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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifminline.com/Ghana

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This is because the party’s 2016 parliamentary nominee for the constituency Ibrahim Basha Shaharawi has stepped down on health grounds.

Three persons have picked nomination forms to contest the upcoming Parliamentary primary re-run.

They are a former District Chief Executive for Karaga, Baba Wahabu, Firdaus Basha and Sulemana Iddrisu.

The filing fee is pegged at Ghc20,000 cedis and about 400 hundred delegates are expected to elect a worthy successor to Ibrahim Basha Shaharawi.

According to the outspoken NPP Northern Regional Chairman, Daniel Bugri Naabu, the primary is scheduled to take place in Savelugu for security reasons.

He served notice that his administration will not tolerate indiscipline at the primary grounds and thus urged the contestants and their supporters to be obedient.

Daniel Bugri Naabu is hopeful the NPP will win the Karaga Parliamentary seat regardless of who emerges victorious at the end of the Parliamentary primary.

He encouraged the party’s members to unite behind the regional secretariat and their constituency executives to win more Parliamentary seats in the Northern Region.

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By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

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