Gov’t working on bringing lasting peace to Bawku – Chieftaincy Minister assures

The Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has assured the people of Bawku in the Upper East Region that, government will use legitimate means and the rule of law to resolve the protracted ethnic conflict in the area.

The protracted Bawku ethnic conflict has resulted in the loss of lives and property making the vibrant business hub municipality a ghost town with high attrition of public sector workers to safer areas to work.

As a result, stakeholders have bemoaned the impact of the conflict on the development of the area and appealed to government to find a lasting solution to the Bawku ethnic conflict.

But speaking at the Bawku Naba’s palace on Saturday, April 15, 2023, during a working visit, Mr. Stephen Boateng, reassured government’s commitment to using dialogue and the rule of law in bringing lasting peace to Bawku.

“We believe in the rule of law and the job of any government is to maintain peace and order. If you wake up in the morning, you must be free enough to do what you want to do, and it is the state’s responsibility to protect you. And that is the assurance I can give you, law and order are always at the heart of government”.

The rule of law is our belief, and we will pursue it and make sure that people are happy and people abide by the rule of law so that we can all live peacefully. I will go behind the scenes, we will do a private chat, and we will draw a road map that we can all (Kusasis and Mamprusis) follow. I know there will be difficulties along the way, there will be challenges and compromises along the way and I know the core values will be protected so at the end of it, there will be lasting peace and the nation will be one people with a common agenda”.

Mr. Boateng, appealed for goodwill and blessings of the Bawku Naba, Zugraan Asigri Abugrago Azorka II, to help his outfit resolve the Bawku ethnic impasse.

He reiterated that his outfit was ever ready to provide clarity on any issue(s) or concerns of the Bawku Naba.

“I need prayers and goodwill, and if there is something you don’t understand you reach out to me, I will explain and if I need to step I will do that”.

For his part, Zugraan Azorka II commended Mr. Stephen Boateng for the visit to his traditional area and urged him to use his office to ensure the restoration of law and order in Bawku whilst working on lasting peace for the area.

The Minister had earlier visited the overlord of Mamprugu, the Nayire, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, to discuss the road map for bringing lasting peace to Bawku.