Plans are underway to revive the inter-ethnic peace committee as part of renewed efforts to restore lasting peace to the Bawku area, the Upper East Regional Minister, Donatus Akamugri Atanga, has disclosed.
According to the Minister, engagements with the Regional Peace Council, local actors, and community leaders have been initiated to promote dialogue and reconciliation.
Speaking when the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu, called on him on May 13, the Minister said, “We have engaged our Regional Peace Council to begin some kind of negotiations, to reach out to individuals, to see how we can chart a new path.”
He added, “We are also looking at how we can revive the inter-ethnic peace council that existed before, so that we can also be doing our bit.”
Akamugri said although the Ghana Armed Forces continue to play a critical role in preventing the conflict from escalating, long-term peace would require the support of chiefs, politicians, opinion leaders, and community members.
“They [the security agencies] can provide protection and prevent us from open conflict, but when you want to really resolve and integrate properly, you need the other actors and the people on the ground,” the Minister stated.
Akamugri commended the Ghana Armed Forces and other security agencies for their efforts in ensuring peace and order in the region and called for stricter enforcement of curfew regulations in the Bawku area, where there have been reports of gunshots during curfew hours.
For his part, the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu, lauded the idea of reviving the inter-ethnic peace committee.
“The inter-ethnic peace council, I think, is a very critical structure,” he said.
General Gbetanu stressed the need for continuous engagement with the youth to desist from attacking military convoys during operations, warning that soldiers are trained to respond immediately to threats during such incidents.
General Gbetanu also indicated that the mediation process in Bawku had recognized a traditional authority in the area, adding that there was a need for all stakeholders to work together toward peace.
“There is a recognized traditional authority for the place, Bawku. So, we should be seen to be working together,” he said.
By Castro Senyalah
