Bawku curfew renewed

Accra, Feb 18, GNA - The Minister of the Interior, Mr Kwabena Bartels on the advice of the Upper East Regional Security Council on Monday has renewed the curfew, which was imposed on the Bawku Municipality for another week with effect from February 18, this year. The curfew starts at 5.00 pm and ends at 6.00 am every day. A statement the Minister signed said the renewal was necessitated by increased tensions in the Bawku Municipality over the last week resulting in clashes between the factions in the dispute with five people injured, one house burnt down and 14 people arrested. The government will continue to maintain the increased Military and Police presence in the Municipality to ensure effective and extensive monitoring of the situation.

It reiterated that the ban on all persons in the Bawku Municipal area, Zabugu and Garu townships and their environs from carrying arms, ammunitions or any offensive weapons still remained in force, and any persons found possessing them would be arrested and prosecuted. The government appealed to all the factions in the dispute to exercise utmost restraint, and called on religious leaders, opinion leaders, traditional rulers and all peace loving people in the area to help ensure that peace and tranquillity returned to the area.