Bawku conflict: Gov’t not interested in peace

Cletus Avoka, the Member of Parliament for Zebilla has accused the government of not doing enough to end the Bawku conflict. According to Cletus Avoka, the government of Ghana failed to live up to its responsibility of protecting the people by being insincere with the peace process.

“This Bawku crisis could have been prevented if the government had lived up to its responsibility. If the government had demonstrated sincerity and commitment to have peace in Bawku. They have not done it.”

The former Interior Minister said the National Security and the government knew that the return of Alhaji Seidu Abagre to Bawku would spark violence but didn’t do anything to stop it.

“If they had taken the advice we gave them, we didn’t even have to give advice. The National Security, they know that it’s a security matter and as soon as the man, Alhaji Bagre enters Bawku, there will be conflict. There will be clashes and they didn’t.”

Also, Cletus Avoka disagreed with the government’s decision to impose a curfew in Bawku. The government placed a 6 PM to 6 AM curfew in Bawku as tension reaches new levels with over 10 deaths already recorded.

But Avoka says the decision is premature while arguing that it will affect activities towards the 2024 elections.

“It has not reached that stage for a state of emergency. You are aware that we are in an election year. Maybe one and a half months or even less than that, we will be having elections.

“A state of emergency means that people do not have their human rights vested in them to do what they want. They may not have rallies, they may not have meetings together, they may not travel far. They may not do certain things. And therefore, they have lost their freedom.”

He added that with elections due in about a month’s time, curtailing the freedom of movement is a huge blow that the government should have considered before. As a result, he said instituting a State of Emergency at this stage is unwarranted.

Therefore, they may not be able to campaign and then have the elections. I do not think that the situation has reached a level where the government can declare a state of emergency,” he told Channel One TV.