President’s Intervention Yielding Results In Bawku

The Upper East Regional Minister Hon. Alhassan Samari has observed with happiness the returning of peace to the Bawku Municipality ever since President J. A. Kufuor took it upon himself and invited the feuding factions in the Bawku conflict to Accra for a peace process to begin.
He said the conflict which in a few weeks back was seen not to be abating has experienced remarkable improvement since the start of the presidential peace process.
“The curfew time before the President intervened was at 3pm to 7am. This has been extended to 5pm and 6am through to 8pm and 5am and currently at 10pm to 4am, based on the relative stability of the area” he pointed out.
The Minister assured the people of Bawku that the curfew will be extended further or lifted completely if they conduct themselves properly and live by the laws of the country.
The Hon. Samari made this remarks at the 7th annual conference of the Northern Presbytery held at Garu in the Garu-Tempane District.
“I am particularly happy about the laudable objectives of the church which do not only limit itself to the preaching of the word of God but also goes out to involve itself in the provision of social and development services such as health, education, agriculture, water harvesting and the rehabilitation of the physically challenged. This undoubtedly, exemplifies the off-quoted portion of the Holy scripture to the effect that man does not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” he said.
Hon. Samari commended the leadership of the Presbyterian Church for their intimate knowledge of the socio-economic problems confronting us as a people and making valuable contributions over the years as part of crucial efforts to improving the living standards of the people.
He appealed to the church to assist the Bawku peace process to achieve lasting peace among the many ethnic groups who live in mutual suspicion of one another in the area.
The chairman of the Northern Presbytery Rev Kwasi Addea Naami said the Presbytery has in place an educational strategic plan - 2007 to 2010 aimed at addressing the inadequate number of trained teachers, teaching and learning materials as well as low enrolment of girls in schools. He said the plan with support from Oikonomos foundation and PRISMA will benefit from a yearly amount of £100,000.00.
“One of the components of the project is the scholarship package which will sponsor fifteen students in training colleges so that at the end of their studies they will serve In Presbyterian schools” he added.
Rev Naami mentioned the establishment of an ICT resource center for Presbyterian institutions in Tamale which are now networked through WLAN and have access to the worldwide web via V-sat.
He praised four districts; Bolga, Garu, Sandema and Tamale rural and urban for setting up credit unions which will go a long way to meet the financial needs of its members and urged the remaining districts to do same.
The Garu-Tempane District Chief Executive Hon. Emmanuel Sin-Nyet Asigri whose speech was read on his behalf thanked the Presbyterian Church for the assistance given to the people of the district through the Garu Presby Agric station, community base rehabilitation center and relief items to flood victims.
Hon. Asigri stated that the district is peaceful and a land of spicy onions and guinea fowls. He urged everybody especially the commissioners to visit their markets.

Source: ISD (James Dorgbetor)