Bawku Municipal Assembly Condemns Recent Ethnic Conflict

The Bawku Municipal Assembly has expressed a deep sense of sorrow, pain and regret following the recent ethnic conflict that claimed so many lives and a number of houses destroyed. The statement said the assembly condemns the violence and the perpetrators of this shameful action should burry their heads in shame.
The presiding member of the assembly Hon. John Agobre said this at an emergency meeting held in Bawku in the Upper East Region to condemn the unfortunate ethnic conflict.
He recalled how the municipality recently emerged from two major disasters i.e. severe drought and unprecedented floods which the municipality was one of the hardest hit in the three Northern Regions and expressed worrying over the crisis which is affecting Bawku, the land of opportunities, economic hub and bright light of the north.
He admonished the house strongly that if there are perceived differences, misunderstandings, etc in 2007, they should let it go with the wind and forge ahead as one strong united family, for in unity lie our collective strength because there has never been any victor or vanquished in all the ethnic conflicts the area have experienced over the years.
“At a time when communities are busy building themselves up and are engaged in development projects, we the people of Bawku are busy destroying life and property, contrary to our vision statement which states and I quote “The most peaceful and prosperous municipality in the Upper East Region and in Ghana.” he lamented.
He asked why this dear municipality of ours should be associated always with violence; conflict and anarchy only for our locally generated income as well as our common fund have mostly been used to keep peace in Bawku rather than development.
He urged all especially the assembly members from now onwards to be ambassadors of peace and ensure that the message of peace to the electorates would be the dire need to build synergies even amongst perceived enemies so that we can co-exist peacefully and forge ahead in development positively.
He thanked the Government, Security Agencies, Chiefs and the Opinion Leaders, Red Cross, etc for their tireless efforts in maintaining peace in Bawku.
The municipal coordinating director Mr.Yakubu Alhassan did not mince his words when he reminded the assembly members as touch bearers of the people the huge responsibility they have to preach peace to the people to ensure that permanent stability returns to the municipality as early as possible. He said the conflict have affected everything in the municipality including the revenue mobilization of the assembly which has large consequence on the development of the municipality.
The president’s nominee for chief executive Hon. Abdulai Abanga said the people of Bawku are one and there was no need fighting each other only to bring untold hardship to its own. He said as result of the conflict many people have lost their lives and properties and appealed to NGO’s, development partners, individuals to assist the victims with food, shelter, clothing etc to enable them cope up with life.
Source: ISD (James Dorgbetor)