The Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, has urged legislators and social commentators to refrain from politicising the Bawku conflict, given the volatile situation in the area.
He noted that the Bawku conflict could be traced back to 1957; therefore, it would be disingenuous for any political party to use the Bawku conflict to score a “cheap” political point.
Nitiwul
Mr Ayariga was responding to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Bimbilla, Dominic Nitiwul who criticised the incumbent government for failing to release funds and logistical resources to the Military to deal swiftly with the Bawku crisis.
Mr Nitiwul was commenting on the Mid-Year Budget Review during a debate in Parliament.
Mr Nitiwul, who is also a former Minister of Defence, refuted claims made by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, during the mid-year budget review that the government had supplied 3,500 motobikes to the security agencies.
Don’t politicise
Mr Ayariga, while clarifying issues on the floor of Parliament, remarked: “I have restrained myself from commenting on Bawku…I beg you, don’t politicise Bawku…let’s be sensitive to the volatile security situation in Bawku.”
The Bawku Central legislator gave the assurance that the government was working tirelessly to bring lasting peace to the area.
The Bawku conflict has escalated in recent weeks with the killing of a Kusasi Chief in Asawase in Kumasi and the subsequent killing of two students at the Nalerigu Senior High School by unknown gunmen.
Those killings have been linked to the Bawku ethnic conflict, thus sparking public outcry and demand for the government to act decisively to end the conflict. — GNA
