The recent tragic incident in Bawku, where three men were allegedly killed by soldiers from the Ghana Armed Forces, has prompted a heartfelt response from Alan Kwadwo John Kyerematen, the Founder and Leader of the Movement for Change.
In a statement released on Monday, January 22 2024, Mr Kyerematen emphasized the inherent right of every individual to live in peace and harmony, decrying the pervasive sense of insecurity that has engulfed Bawku Municipality over the years.
Expressing deep concern and empathy, the former Minister of Trade and former flagbearer aspirant of the New Patriotic Party acknowledged the sorrow and fear that has gripped the innocent and hardworking people of Bawku due to the unfortunate killing of some civilians.
Mr Kyerematen thus urged the military personnel deployed to the area to act professionally and ensure the safety of the people while avoiding the loss of innocent lives in the discharge of their mandate.
“Like many Ghanaians, the unfortunate killing of three men by the soldiers from the Ghana Armed Forces in Bawku, as confirmed by the military in a press release dated 20th January, 2024 that it was an action taken to neutralise some assailants, troubled my heart greatly”.
Alan Kwadwo John Kyerematen
The Independent Presidential Aspirant for the 2024 general elections further called on the military to exercise extreme care and diligence in their mission to maintain security, emphasizing that no human life should be needlessly wasted in the process.
Furthermore, the founder and leader for Movement for Change, Mr Kyerematen passionately advocated for a collective responsibility on the part of citizens especially residents of Bawku to be each other’s keepers and work collaboratively towards achieving lasting peace in the Bawku Municipality and its environs.
Addressing the unity among Ghanaians, Mr Kyerematen stressed on the need for all citizens particularly the people of Bawku to recognize the shared identity of the people of Ghana as peace-loving citizens, irrespective of it diverse backgrounds.
He therefore appealed to the collective consciousness of the people, urging them to give peace a chance in the Bawku Municipality.
The Impacts Of Bawku Armed Conflict On Women And Children
Meanwhile, the Director of Legal Affairs of the opposition National Democratic Congress, Lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe has expressed deep concerns about the devastating effects of the Bawku conflict on women and children in the municipality.
Reacting to the killing of the three civilians in the municipality in a media interview on Monday, January 22 2024, the private legal practitioner indicated that the situation has resulted into many women and children being displaced in the area.
According to Lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe, the armed conflict in Bawku has further worsened the state of education in the municipality, leading to several children not having access to education in the area.
“The situation there is extremely delicate and for me, the greater pain I have is the displacement of women and children. It has been extremely difficult for children within those communities to even have proper education now by reason of this armed conflict”.
Lawyer Godwin Edudzi Tamakloe
On Wednesday, January 17, 2024, unidentified gunmen attacked and killed two persons in the Upper East Regional town. According to report the shooting incident occurred around noon when unknown gunmen opened fire at tricycle operators near the Bawku Community Centre.
As of January 18, three more people were killed by some soldiers who claimed they found firearms on them, bringing the death toll to 5 within 48 hours.
However, the Ghana Armed Forces has defended its move insisting that directly engaging the military is a development that could result in fatal consequences as troops will spare no opportunity to defend and also protect themselves.
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