Over the weekend, three students were killed by gunmen oPresident John Dramani Mahama has said Ghana cannot accept the recent killing of students in school in the ongoing Bawku conflict.n their school campuses in Bawku and Nalerigu.
According to John Mahama, the recent killings undermine the progress made by the Otumfuo-led mediation committee working to restore peace in Bawku.
Speaking at the Jubilee House during a courtesy call by the Overlord of the Gonja Kingdom, Mahama stated, “We cannot accept this current situation where students are shot in school and killed. We can’t accept the current situation where teachers and public officers have all run away from Bawku because they are afraid for their lives,” the President stated.
President Mahama further revealed that, military’s role in the area has now shifted from peacekeeping to peace enforcement following his directive.
He added, “That means they are going to be a bit more robust with anybody who is involved in criminality”.
In a related story, Dr Edward Omane Boamah has revealed government is taking bold steps to retool the Ghana Armed Forces for peace.
In a Facebook post, he wrote, “We’re taking additional significant steps to re-tool the Ghana Armed Forces, ensuring internal peace and security everywhere and safeguarding our territories.
The Mahama Government is committed to #ResetGhana, and we’re working tirelessly to make it happen. Lasting peace shall surely return to Bawku and all affected areas”.
However, Security analyst, Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd) has urged governments to prioritise investment in intelligence gathering and surveillance technologies.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Col Festus Aboagye (Rtd) detailed, “I strongly suggest that the government needs to invest more in intelligence resources to address the Bawku conflict”.
“Both the security intelligence operatives and the technologies that the government has must be brought to bear on the Bawku conflict. These elements that we call spoilers will do anything and everything to ensure that the peace is not realised,” he said.
He explained, “We know the warlords, and I believe that National Security knows certain individuals who are behind the Bawku crisis, either as financiers or opinion leaders. You get to target those people using technology and human intelligence to neutralise their platforms”.
“Mind you, in the process, there could be collateral damage — like someone entering a senior high school and abducting two students, who sadly turn out not to be even Kusasi or Mamprusi.”
