THE Mamprugu Youth Association has expressed its support for and commitment to finding lasting peace to the internecine conflict in the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region.
The association has, accordingly, backed the various peace initiatives embarked upon by President J. A. Kufuor, the National Peace Council and other stakeholders to bring to an end the recurrent turmoil between the two feuding factions, the Kusasis and Mamprusis, in Bawku and its surrounding areas.
‘‘We wish to thank the President and the National Peace Council for the numerous and selfless interventions they have made so far towards restoring lasting peace to Bawku and its environs,’’ the association stated.
At a press conference in Tamale, the members also expressed their appreciation to the public, including the media, for the show of sympathy and offer of constructive criticisms towards the attainment of peace in Bawku.
The Chairman of the association, Alhassan Batesima Adams, however, called for the removal of both the Upper East Regional Minister and the Bawku Municipal Chief executive, Messrs Alhassan Samari and Emmanuel Abanga, respectively, for their alleged complicity in the conflict.
He contended that before the appointment of the two, Bawku had experienced absolute peace, security and economic boom and wondered why the area had to relapse into conflict after their assumption of office.
The chairman further accused the security agencies in Bawku for their high-handedness in dealing with Mamprusi suspects.
‘‘We remain the hard hit victims of long hours of curfew, unjust military arrest and brutalities, as well as detentions without charge or evidence. Not only have they broken into our rooms in a quest to arrest suspects but they also eventually looted precious items and money,’’ he alleged.
The chairman also claimed that a number of Mamprusis had been murdered in daylight since the eruption of the conflict in December last year without any arrest or prosecution.
‘‘The people, including the security personnel, can attest to the fact that no single person has been attacked or killed within the Bawku township where we control, for which reason people move in and out of the town without fear,’’ Mr Adams stated.
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