A Security Analyst, Dr Adam Bonaa, has said that the armed conflict in Bawku requires a multi-dimensional approach to deal with.
Dr Bonaa observed that the perpetrators of the conflict appear to have been emboldened despite the deployment of security personnel to the area.
“It appears the people have been emboldened and so what are we doing about it? We need to do more than we are doing, we need a multifaceted approach to tackle,” Dr Bonaa told Alfred Ocansey on the Hot Edition on 3FM Monday, January 22.
Bawku has been in the news lately because unknown gunmen earlier fired into a group of people at the community center in the town on Wednesday, January 17, resulting in the death of two persons, while four others were injured.
The Member of Parliament for Bawku Mr Mahama Ayariga described the incident as dastardly and unacceptable.
Mr Ayariga called on law enforcement agencies to act immediately to arrest and deal with the perpetrators.
Commenting on this matter earlier on the Ghana Tonight show on TV3 on Thursday, January 18 with Alfred Ocansey, Mr Ayariga said “It is unfortunate that we continue to experience this situation that has caused so many lives to be lost, so many people to be injured and hospitalized and so much property to be lost in Bawku central constituency.
“…those who were killed yesterday, that was dastardly, that was unacceptable and the perpetrators must be searched for by the law enforcement agencies and dealt with.”
Another group pf gunmen also attacked a bus carrying students of the Presbyterian Nurses Training College, Bawku. This occurred near Binduri in the Upper East region on Friday, January 19.
Mr Ayariga confirmed the news on the Key Points on TV3 on Saturday, January 20.
Mr Ayariga said “It has been confirmed that such an incident happened.”
“The report I got is that the injuries are gunshot related injuries, we will ascertain the full details later.” A number of students who were injured due to the attack were rushed to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital for treatment.
The Minister for the Interior, by Executive Instrument, had renewed the curfew hours imposed on Bawku Municipality and its environs in the Upper East Region from 8:00 pm to 5:00 am effective Friday, January 12, 2024.
The government called on Chiefs, Elders, Opinion Leaders, Youth and people of the area to exercise restraint in the face of the challenges confronting them as well as to use non-violent means to channel their energies into ensuring peace.
Meanwhile, there is a total ban on all persons in the afore-mentioned communities and their environs from carrying arms, ammunition or any offensive weapon and any persons found with any arms or ammunition will be arrested and prosecuted.