Narration: Defence Minister Mark Woyongo has emphasized
the need for traditional authorities in the north to collaborate and work
towards maintaining peace and order for development to strive. He said conflict
in certain parts of northern Ghana continue to thwart governments effort in bringing
development to the doorstep of the people, hence the need for chiefs as
custodians of the land to remain focus and channel their energies in fighting
poverty rather than resorting to retaliatory tendencies. Mr Woyongo made the
special appeal when he paid a courtesy call on the Overlord of the Kusaug
Traditional Area, Zug-Ran Bawku Naba, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoko at his palace
in Bawku. The visit forms part of his minister’s routine tour of military establishments
under the northern command. Correspondent Isaac Asare was there for Radio Ghana
and has filed this report
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| Section of troops at the Bazua Detachment |
Mr Woyongo and
his entourage were given a rousing welcome by the Bawku Naba and his subjects. Accompanied
by the Minister were some senior military and commanding officers including the
Chief Director at the Ministry of Defence, Alhaji Alidu Fuseini, the Director
Research and Defence Corperation, Mrs Cynthia Asare Badiako, and the Director
of Public Affairs, Colonel Comfort Ankomah-Danso and other officers from the
Airborne Defence Unit. Addressing the gathering, Defence Minister, Mark Woyongo
said the relative peace being enjoyed by residents of Bawku and its environs goes
to suggest that the people were tired of taking arms against each other. For him,
the level of peace and security in the area was highly commendable and called
for peaceful co-existence among feuding factions involved in the conflict. According
to him, relative peace can only be maintained if the Mamprusi side of the Bawku
Inter-Ethnic Committee return to the negotiating table. He announced that talks
are currently ongoing to ensure their return and contribute to the peace
building process. Bawku Naba in his welcome address called on the government to
relax the ban on motor riding by males in Bawku since it was affecting their
businesses. He was equally worried about the conflict in the area and assured
the minister of his commitment to sustain the peace for development to take its
course. Mr Woyongo in reaction to the concern raised said the ban could only be
lifted upon the advice of the security on the ground. He however called for
discipline stressing on the re-activation of the peace committee. The sector
Minister later presented two infantry assault vehicles to augment patrol duties
in the area. The Minister after the symbolic presentation met with the leader
of the Mamprusi group, Alhaji Akalifa Bugre at his palace. The meeting
discussed the essence of peace and the need for them to rescind their decision
and join the negotiating table. The Defence
Minister however rounded up his tour at the Bazua infantry base, where he
announced plans to upgrade the camp to a battalion status. In pursuance of the
set objective, Mr Woyongo disclosed plans by the ministry to commence the phase
two of the camp and ensure the establishment of a similar base in the Upper
West Region to facilitate peace in the northern zone. Beyond that, the ministry
was pursuing a facility in parliament to send more battalions to South Sudan to
support the peace process, whilst more would be deployed to increase the
numerical strength of troops operating in Mali and other UN platforms. Mr Woyongo
lauded
the professional conduct of the detachment, which he noted had won the respect
of the chiefs and people of Bawku and urged them not to only look at the
restoring peace but also remain vigilant in clamping down on illegal activities
such as smuggling and proliferation of small arms since they poses a serious
threat to the security in the country.
-END-
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