The Minister for good Local Government-
Daniel Botwe has appealed to the overlord of the Kussaug traditional area, Zug-raan, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II and the Kusasis to return to the Bawku inter-ethnic peace committee negotiation table to ensure lasting peace in Bawku.
The minister who represented president Nana Akuffo Addo as the guest of honour at the 35th Samapiid festival celebrated by chiefs and people of the Kusaug traditional area in the Upper East Region appealed to the Kusasis to returned to Bawku inter- ethnic peace committee. The Kusasi announced a break away from the peace committee at a press conference on the 20th of December 2022.
The Kusasis noted that the Mamprusis has not demonstrated good faith and commitment towards peace building leading to recent gun shots that claimed innocent lives .
“It is important that we build the needed social interaction to complement each other’s efforts and show the will power to avoid and condemn conflicts at all levels by doing everything possible under our control to promote social justice, respect for human rights and rule of law. This is how we would be building peace and restoring social life in Bawku.
The conflict appears to be at its turning point with one path being constant reprisal attacks and another being dialogue, rebuilding and restoration of peace and order which in my candid view is the way going forward. In view of this, I wish to passionately appeal to Kusasis to return to the Bawku Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee to facilitate dialogue amongst you and the Mamprusis on the way out of this crisis.”
He added that government is very committed to supporting any peace process that would resolve this protracted conflict by deploying security personnel to the area to protect lives and properties.
Speaking at the 35th annual Samapiid festival celebrations under theme “building peace , the role of all stakeholders” the Zug-raan Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II commended government for intensifying security activities with the deployment of military and police presence in Bawku .
The Zug-raan also pleaded with government to exempt the chiefs over the wearing of Smocks in the Bawku municipality and its environs since these are the normal attire for chiefs of that part of the country.
He added that when that is granted, he will ensure that those chiefs will be provided with special tags to prevent fraudsters from also wearing Smocks.
“By-laws have been imposed on the riding of motor cycles and wearing of heavy dresses including shocks in Bawku, so to make it impossible for people to hide weapons on their bodies.
My chiefs have requested for the exemption of chiefs over the wearing of smocks since these are the normal attire for chiefs in the part of the country, they could be provided with special identity tags to prevent fraudsters from also joining in” Zuguraan pleaded .
source: mywordfmonline.com /Gaspard Ayuureneeya