Moderator of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, Reverend Dr Abraham Nana Opare Kwakye, has called on security agencies, traditional authorities, and other key stakeholders to work together to restore lasting peace in Bawku, stressing the need to go beyond what he described as “cosmetic interventions.”

Speaking in an interview with Channel One TV on Monday, June 23, 2025, and monitored by GhanaWeb, Reverend Opare Kwakye expressed deep concern about the safety of residents, particularly students, in the conflict-prone area.

“We need to nip the problem in the bud. We need to deal with it at its roots. If we’re able to deal with it at its roots, then we’ll stop these cosmetic ideas of children going to school, only for them to be sent back a few weeks later," he remarked.

He recounted a recent incident in which gunshots were fired at a bus conveying students of the Presbyterian Nursing and Midwifery Training College in Bawku.

“If you’ll remember, the students were on their way to school when gunshots were fired into the bus. Now, how do I ask children and young people to go back to that same school? It’s my school. I cannot assure them of their security. Regarding my own security, I can’t even be sure. So, it’s a problem,” he lamented.

He disclosed that the Presbyterian Church has held multiple meetings with the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and other relevant authorities, but the assurances received have yet to produce any meaningful change on the ground.

“We have had several meetings with REGSEC and some very significant people. We have been given some assurances, but this is not the first time.

"Just recently, the President had to order military escorts for travellers on the Bawku road, that alone tells you the problem is far from over,” he said.

Despite the challenges, Reverend Opare Kwakye was hopeful that a collective national effort involving political leadership, security forces, and traditional rulers—particularly belonging to the two ethnic groups involved could pave the way for a lasting peace.

“I am confident that if our national leaders, the police, the army, and even the traditional leaders sit down and work together, there will be peace,” he added.

The protracted conflict in Bawku, which has spanned several decades, has claimed multiple lives and disrupted the socio-economic fabric of communities across the Upper East Region.

Recent mediation efforts led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, have brought a period of relative calm to the area.

The Asantehene engaged representatives of the feuding Kusasi and Mamprusi factions between April 28 and April 30, 2025, before peace talks were temporarily suspended.

JKB/VPO

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