Parliament Summons Defense, Interior And National Security Ministers Over Bloody Bawku Conflict

Parliament has summoned three Ministers whose portfolios oversee security in the country for a brief on the ongoing chieftaincy cum tribal conflict in Bawku, Upper East Region.

The summons was given on Thursday by the First Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Joseph Osei Wusu, who is deputizing in the absence of substantive Speaker Alban Bagbin after an application by Minority Chief Whip and MP for Asawase, Hon. Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak.

“In fact, even our colleagues from the enclave are scared to be heard talking about it because of the delicate nature of what is happening and the brutalities that are said to be happening in that enclave. I thought that as a House we should be interested to get the Ministers of Interior, Defense, and National Security, even if it is a closed sitting where they can brief this House, for us to know exactly some of the things that are happening and what steps are being taken to manage the difficulties,” Hon. Mubarak said.

The Bawku conflict is a chieftaincy cum tribal one in which Kusasis and Mamprusis are fighting over the right to rule.

With antecedence to some forty years ago when the last chief died and left a divided kingdom, the current violence was sparked when attempts were made by one faction to perform the funeral rights of the late chief.

The latest outbreak has seen the shooting of three soldiers who are believed to be indigenes of a rival tribe.

A civil society Organization, Anchoring Democracy Advocacy Movement Ghana (ADAM-GH) claimed in a statement during the week, saying it has evidence to prove that the three soldiers who were shot while on deployment at Buabula to stem the chieftaincy war between Mamprusis and Kusasis in Bawku are tribal Mamprusis.

The Civil Society Organization (CSO) called the Northern Development Forum (NDF) has expressed deep worry over the resurgence of the tribal conflict in the northern part of Ghana saying the development is backward and erosive of whatever development that the sector has achieved.

In a statement signed by the NDF Chairman, Major Albert Don-Chebe (Rtd), the organization pinpointed four conflicts that have resurged as particularly heart sinking.

“Notably, the recent incidences in Bawku, Kandiga, Doba and the Nanumba (Bimbilla) areas are particularly disturbing. The people and communities in these areas have witnessed untold suffering already from previous conflicts and violence,” the statement said.

The Akufo Addo government has since been forced to institute a curfew in the area. But that has not deterred fighting with the latest gun battle leading to the death of two civilians and the wounding of three soldiers.

The Minority Chief Whip’s application was backed by MPs from both the Majority and Minority sides of the House.

NDC MP for Tamale North, Hon. Alhassan Suhiyini revealed the situation is so volatile that after he discussed the conflict in a television appearance, persons from both sides of the conflict called to warn of the volatility at play.

“I am getting calls from people who represent the different views that have led to the conflict in the area and it indicates the situation is even more serious than initially believed and should not be joked with.”

On his part, Majority Chief Whip, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, stressed the need for urgent intervention by Parliament since things have gotten so volatile.