Bawku Naba calls for calm

Bawku (U/E), Nov 4, GNA - The Paramount Chief of Bawku Traditional Area, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka 11, has called on the people of the area to remain calm and cooperate with the security personnel to bring the conflict in Bawku under control.

He said he was surprised and disturbed by the recent violence because the long lull and the many interventions by the Inter-ethnic Peace Committee and NGOs had given him hope that the long standing conflict was getting over.

"As Overlord of the area, I am particularly disturbed by the turn of events, despite the interventions of peace initiatives by various state agencies and NGOs. My hope was that, the Bawku inter-ethnic peace committee which was formed by Government through the Regional Minister was about to make a breakthrough for peace to prevail".

The Bawku Naba said this at a press conference in Bawku on Tuesday. He said he had been worried about the withdrawal of the Mamprusis from the peace committee and hoped that the recent violence would convince them of the need for peace and make them take their place in the committee. The conflict erupted again on October 30 when a cattle dealer, Mr. Fuseini Imoro, was shot at but he escaped. The sound of gun shots attracted more shooting but that died down until Sunday night when unidentified men shot and injured two people at a funeral house. That also brought about more shooting and it went on till the afternoon of November 02 and three people were reported killed and many more got injured.