Government maintains curfew in Bawku

Accra, March 9, GNA - The Interior Minister, Mr Cletus Avoka, on Monday renewed the curfews imposed on the Bawku Municipality, the Gushegu township and their immediate environs with effect from March 9 for another week.

A statement signed by Mr Avoka said the decision was based on the advice of the Upper East and Northern Regional Security Councils. The curfew hours, according to the statement, remain unchanged from 12 midnight to 0400 hours each day.

The statement said though calm had been restored to Bawku Municipality, Zabzugu, Zoasi, Binduri, Pusiga and Gushegu townships, the curfew had been renewed to enable the security agencies to monitor the situation to ensure that the security of the areas affected was not in any way compromised.

"Government will like, once again, to appeal to all factions in the disputes to all times strive to promote peace and co-existence and further refrain from acts that tend to impede development of the areas affected.

"Government further wishes to implore the factions that the presence of the security personnel cannot end the conflict but rather the people themselves. Such wanton destruction of lives and properties only help in jeopardising the education of the teeming youth of the areas thereby affecting their future."

The statement reiterated that the ban on all persons in the Bawku Municipal area, as well as the Zabugu, Binduri, Pusiga, Zoasi and Gushegu townships and their environs from carrying arms, ammunitions and other offensive weapons, was still in force and any person found with any arms or ammunition would be arrested and prosecuted.