Bawku (U/E), July 10, GNA - Mr Mark Woyongo, the Upper East Regional Minister, has assured workers in the Bawku Municipality that they were safe and had no reason to fear for their lives. He told the workers that extra measures would be taken to protect them and they would be issued with identity cards by the assembly and the security agencies would give them special protection. Mr Woyongo gave the assurance when he met the workers in Bawku to discuss a petition they had sent to him threatening to leave the municipality if something was not done to secure their safety. They complained that they were constantly put on the alert by the sporadic gun shots and random attacks on some people in the Mr. Woyongo commended the workers for staying on and working despite the tense situation.

"I wish to appeal to you that while your concerns are being addressed, continue to exercise a high level of restraint that you have demonstrated so far."

"We appreciate the difficulty, frustration and more importantly the risk you go through on a daily basis in your bid to serve the people of this community in a state of unpredictable security", he told the workers.

He cautioned them against making statements that would reveal their alliance with either of the factions and urged them to remain neutral. Mr. Woyongo said the Inter-Ethnic Peace Committee was doing a good job and had drawn an outreach programme to talk to the people, especially, the youth on the need for peace. Mr. Salifu Basiru, a teacher at the Senior High Technical School in Bawku, complained that his Headmaster had placed an embargo on his salary because he could not go to work at the heat of the violence when it was risky for a member of one faction to walk through the suburb of another faction.

He said he was seeking transfer to a section of the town where he was sure he would be safe at all times.