Bawku Naba, Zugraana Naba Asigri Abugurago Azoka II, expressed his sorrow over the lack of peace in Bawku.
"For more than two years, our once tranquil and thriving town has been devoid of peace, leading to evident repercussions," stated the Bawku Naba during discussions with former President John Dramani Mahama, who visited him on Saturday, February 3rd.
"Your Excellency, as we extend a warm welcome to you in Kusaug, it's evident that you're aware of the regrettable conflict in Bawku, resulting in the loss of lives and property. Peace has been absent from our once thriving town for over two years, with clear repercussions.
"We rely on God, our ancestors, the government, and other stakeholders to work towards peace restoration in Bawku. We trust that truth will ultimately triumph," he stated.
Mr. Mahama provided assurance to the people that if he emerged victorious in the elections, peace would be reinstated.
He reflected on the peaceful state of Bawku during the tenure of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), attributing it to the implementation of effective security measures.
"It's regrettable to see this issue resurface. During our time in office, we successfully mitigated tensions, restoring Bawku to a thriving community where residents felt secure in their daily activities. Sadly, the current situation paints a different picture. There's a noticeable lack of freedom to move around Bawku. Recent reports highlight bans on evening motorcycle rides, indicating a period of insecurity for locals. Nighttime brings about incidents of bus attacks and loss of lives.
"We pledge to prioritize resolving the Bawku crisis upon assuming office. We've demonstrated our capability in the past, and we're committed to doing so again. Our focus will be on restoring peace not only to Bawku but also to its surrounding areas."
He added “The second aspect of the insecurity is the armed robbery. Armed robbery has become a major problem here and it is affecting the economy of the Upper East region. You go to market, and you are coming back and armed robbers set on you, they rob the people. We are going to mount a very strong fight against armed robbery, because you cannot have economic progress in an environment of insecurity and so it is imperative that we make sure our region is safe and secure so people will go about their business without fear of being harmed or killed.”
Recently, unknown gunmen fired into a group of people at the community center in Bawku on Wednesday, January 17, resulting in the death of two persons, while four others were injured.
The lawmaker for the area Mahama Ayariga described the situation as dastardly and unacceptable.
Mr. Ayariga urged law enforcement agencies to take immediate action to apprehend and punish the perpetrators of the recent violence.
Speaking on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 with Alfred Ocansey on Thursday, January 19th, Mr. Ayariga expressed his dismay over the ongoing situation in the Bawku central constituency, which has resulted in numerous casualties, injuries, and property damage.
He condemned the recent killings as unacceptable and emphasized the importance of law enforcement agencies actively seeking out and prosecuting those responsible for such heinous acts.
Through an Executive Instrument, the Minister for the Interior extended the curfew hours in the Bawku Municipality and its surrounding areas in the Upper East Region, setting them from 8:00 pm to 5:00 am starting Friday, January 12, 2024.
The government urged Chiefs, Elders, Opinion Leaders, Youth, and residents of the region to remain calm amidst the challenges they face and encouraged them to employ peaceful means to promote peace.
Furthermore, there's a complete prohibition on individuals in the mentioned communities and their vicinity from carrying weapons or ammunition, with strict consequences for those found in violation, including arrest and prosecution.
Source: cometodaddy.xyz
