Presidential staffer Napaga Tia Sulemana has described as “painful” comments by Deputy Minister of Agriculture, William Quaittoo who referred to northerners as “liars” and “difficult” people.
Even though the lawmaker has apologised unreservedly for his comments, the presidential staffer who is a native of that part of the country took to Facebook to express her pain over the matter saying the MP’s apology was not enough.
Below is her full post:
So, here I am in bed, just struggling with myself to understand why on earth a deputy minister of state will look at the people who hosted him almost all his life(27yrs) according to him, in the face and tell us we are difficult people and also that we lie to extort money from government. I am very sure this was said without any evidence.
My name is Napaga, a pure Dagomba royal (both parents). I was born, raised and educated in the northern part of Ghana with most of my education undertaken in Tamale.
I can say on authority that Dagomba are the most hospitable people I have encountered in my life. We might be coming from one of the poorest and most deprived areas in Ghana but that doesn’t mean we don’t have dignity or integrity.
We are very “proud” people who respect ourselves and others so well irrespective of where you come from. We are one disciplined group of people who tread cautiously in our own space. You can confirm this from most southerners who have taken the Northern region as their homes.
We might not be rich as other regions but trust me, we are not hungry people.
For several years, we have done mainly subsistent farming and have fed ourselves on it without much government intervention. Same subsistent farming has brought most educated Northerners where we find ourselves today.
Therefore, I find it very difficult that someone wakes up one morning and decides to label all of us liars and difficult people. Kaman how!!
Dagombas just like other tribes and humans surely will have some bad nuts but not a basis to label us all as difficult and liars. We might appear to be one defenseless, small, distorted poor tribe but we can be very loud if you want to take us for a ride.
We surely will ‘fight back’ if you disrespect us.
My dear Hon, we being as hospitable as we are, took you in and fed you for 27 years (I am sure you would have done more years if you had the chance to) and today you are biting same fingers that fed you.
How interesting!
A mere apology is not what we are demanding but more. It is tribalistic statements like these from the very few ones like you that make life very difficult for the NPP in the north.
Dagombas are Northerners, Ghanaians and are humans as well, who also have blood running through our veins. We deserve far better from your likes. It’s indeed painful. Those sitting unconcerned and making it look like it’s a small issue we are blowing out of proportion, today it’s about the Dagombas, tomorrow it might be you. When your neighbour’s house is on fire and you sit unconcerned, remember you might be next. We are one people and one.
A Dagomba Girl feeling pained.
Napaga Tia Sulemana
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...There's no doubt or question about what the Dep. Minister said. This is NOT NDC or NPP issue. It is the reality on the ground. It is because of their inferior mindset, that's why the statement by the Dep. Minister affected them, because they know deep within them it's the truth and they need HELP to come out of that inferiority. They wish they were influential, learned,connected and RICH as the Akans in Ghana but they WON'T GET IT! LET IT BE KNOWN TO OUR BROTHERS & SISTERS IN THE NORTH...YOU CAN'T KEEP AN AKAN MAN OR WOMAN DOWN, WE ALWAYS STAND TALL! IF WE ARE BURNT TO ASHES--WE WILL RISE AGAIN! The Dep. Minister (William Quaitoo) will NOT go home hungry or die poor, he will survive and live a luxury life. #WebHunter
Why do we always think some tribes are better than the others? I don't understand some of us. Why?
Where were u and your fellow Northerners when JM was insulting Ashantis all every where he went and saying we are ingrates and other abusive languages. I must say most of our northern people are moving from the culture of upholding the truth as it used to be.
Recall the rice project in the '70s, NORRIP, IFAD, SADA, etc. The Moshies sitting on top of Ghana work, while the neighbours south prefer to sell subsidized services of GoG and ask for more.
I am extremely SAD for the emotional sentiments expressed by this young lady ; for me and other people who know the real truth about the historical northners it is understandable and sad ; you see northners were some years ago before and during the colonial times the most respected tribe in Ghana ; northners were the trusted people in both the army and the security services ;they guarded white colonial masters because they seen as very honest people ; their trust was impeccable; our colonial masters trusted them and were always promoted to the most cruial ranks in the military and police as sargeant majors ; they trained most of the officer call ; they controlled the troops and even officers feared them ; they took no ***barred word*** and when they told you ; 'masaa says that is it'; Gen Beausoiel the first army General in Ghana from mixed mullatto in the army never trusted any tribe other than northners;they were fierce and guarded all important buildings in Accra because of thier honesty ; they guarded faily houses as watchmen and you could leave your house to them for weeks and nothing will go missing ; these are facts ;Kwame Nkrumah trusted them like nobody but was forced to mix them with Nzema body guards who wre housed opposite the flagstaff today and were called the republican Guards ; the rot for the northers when the regional minister the father of Jon Mahama took over ; he looted state funds that was sent to the north ; funds for farms were dissipated by the northners themselves and told lies to Kwame Nkrumah that there was progress in the north whilst this was not true ; matters was made worse with Jon Mahama from the north who teamed with these ewes to bankrupt Ghana !!!!!!; today go to parliament and see their numbers but they are all liars and thuiffs who ignore their own tribes men/woman ; look at the 'KAYAYEI' very pathetic stories !!!!!amongst ; their people sleep on the streets and they do not care ; they are always fighting amongst themselves and achieve nothing for the north ; look at SADA ; GYEEDa al controlled by northners ; this minister is correct ; these northners are TOO CANTANKOUROUS ; I am sorry but this young lady should check her tribes historical facts and she will understand the problem ; northners allied themselves with the WRONG TRIBE the ewes.
If he had not apologized, it would have been different. What else do you want? Difficult indeed!Apaga Tia ....
we must stop treating these northerners with kid gloves. we have to tell them what we think of them so that they might reflect on improving the negatives. Otherwise they will continue to deteriorate from difficult to obstinate and obdurate!!!!
Eiiiiii Northerners, were you not fighting in accra between yourselves 3 months ago? and did you not fight in Yendi at the same time and kill yourselves? And you are angry that someone who has lived among you for 27y is calling you difficult? You are not difficult - you are CRAZZY wati!!! You are lucky he called u difficult. I call you by a lot of 4-letter words that Peacefmonline will not allow me to use.
call a spade a spade! Northerners must look at themselves and find out why they are stereotyped this way. Whether others say it out loud, or they keep quiet and pretend - it is true that northerners do things that makes them have negative image. Everybody knows it, and the history is clear. Konkomba-Nanumba fight in 1993, beheading of Yaa naa in 2002, Bawku conflict in the 2000s, recent fighting in Yendi. Are these not true?
It is really sad. Labelling a whole tribe as liars and fraudulent is one of the highest crime a minister of state will engage in. The northern part of Ghana is the bread basket of the country in terms of sustained food supply to the southern sector. The question that comes into mind is whether the minister will one day pay an official visit to the region to launch any government programme?