The Paramount Chief of Navrongo Traditional Council in the Kasena-Nankana Municipal Assembly of the Upper East Region of Ghana, Pe Asagepare Balinia Adda II, has used his welcome address to receive old Navascans at the forecourt of his Palace in Navrongo to reiterate the position of Navrongo traditional council on the raging discussions on the LGBTQI+ legislation.
He made the statement in his response, after an introductory message was delivered on behalf of the old students of Navrongo Secondary School Association, Navasco or Nabia for short, when the leader of the visiting delegation gave details of the visit outline to include formal announcement of a homecoming celebration of the 60th anniversary of the founding of the school, in Navrongo.
Speaking on behalf of his subjects at the forecourt of his Palace, where he sat in state to receive the delegation, comprising of current and various generations of former students of Navrongo Secondary School, now Navrongo Senior High School, who paid him a courtesy call, Pe Asagepare Balinia Adda II started with a welcome statement to the delegation for coming to his Palace. Further, he thanked them for their gesture and for the laudable initiative of a homecoming 60th Anniversary celebration.
“Navasco started from Navrongo,” he said, speaking through his linguist. “It is not only natives of Navrongo who are meant to attend Navasco. This makes Navasco special to Navrongo. As such the name of Navasco must not be dragged into mud. Ladies present here, I mean, any of the students present here – but emphatically female students, here – anyone who makes a score of 8 As in a chain in their final year exams, stands to receive the Chief’s Pecuniary Award of GHS 2,000,” Pe Asagepare Balinia Adda II added.
His speech was briefly interrupted with a thunderous clap mainly from current students of the school, who formed part of the delegation; when he reaffirmed the pecuniary award scheme for best examination performance, in his speech. Continuing, the chief said, “Currently, I am bothered by something going on in Ghana today. In some foreign cultures, polygamy is viewed as satanic.
“In such lands, it is not permissible for a man to marry two or more wives. Yet, these people want us to legislate same-sex marriage in Ghana. If it is accepted in other jurisdictions in Ghana, I have no problem with it. But we the people of Navrongo don’t welcome such marriage in our society,” he said, strongly.
His statement, again, drew a roaring public applause, confirming the people’s endorsement of his statement of the exemption of Navrongo from any legislation enforcement of same-sex marriage in Ghana. Navrongo is a laid back conservative society. Same-sex marriage does not appear as an immediate concern of priority; and largely view such issues as foreign imposition, particularly so when the idea appears wholesome and without appropriate specifications with room for advocacy and education on the subject.
By Cadre Shmuel Ja’Mba Abm