President John Dramani Mahama, has made a passionate appeal to the people of Bawku to bring an end to the ongoing violence.
Addressing the public during the 68th Independence Day celebration held at the Jubilee House on March 6, under the theme “Reflect, Review, and Reset,” Mahama urged the people of Bawku to prioritize peace for the sake of future generations.
“The people of Bawku and other areas, it is time for lasting peace to prevail. Our children deserve to inherit a peaceful land where their dreams are nurtured, not a place where their nightmares are relived. They deserve to inherit a land where our markets are bustling with trade, not tension and conflict. They deserve schools that echo with learning, not melancholy,” Mahama stated.
He further urged the residents not to be swayed by mistrust or the weight of past grievances, emphasizing the need to move forward together.
“Let us give renewal and friendship a chance. Let us give peace a chance. This is not an invitation to simply forget the past far from it. It is an invitation to live above it,” he added.
His plea follows the recent surge in violence that has resulted in the deaths of about 56 people. The ongoing tensions have led to the imposition of a curfew in Bawku and its environs, with restricted movement between 8:00 p.m. and 5:00 a.m.
There have been several casualties, including the killing of children and families in the ongoing conflict in Bawku and along the Bolgatanga-Tamale highway.
Despite intensified efforts by security forces to quell the unrest and safeguard commuters, armed assailants continue to unleash deadly attacks, deepening fear and uncertainty among residents and travelers in the region.
There has been an escalation of violence following the resurgence of a long-standing chieftaincy conflict, sparked by the return of rival chief Alhaji Seidu Abagre from exile.
Abagre fled Bawku after an arrest warrant was issued against him following his contested installation as chief in Nalerigu, a High Court ruling in Kumasi on October 17, 2024, nullified the warrant, allowing him to resurface.
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