Amount of small and light weapons in use in Bawku conflict worrying – NACSA Executive Secretary

Executive Secretary of the Ghana National Commission on Small Arms and Light Weapons (NACSA), Ms. Afi Azaratu Yakubu, has expressed worries over the weapons in use in the ongoing Bawku conflict.

Ms Afi Azaratu Yakubu believes the conflict is escalating in the Upper West region because some persons allegedly have access to the weapons through Ghana’s porous borders.

She alluded to the fact that the sub-region is unstable, with Burkina Faso still in crisis and Cote d’Ivoire having just come out of its own, saying the development in the neighbouring countries may be contributing to the crises in Bawku.

“Most of the weapons went into the wrong hands and our borders are not the best and some of them obviously come into the country and conflicts like Bawku’s escalated because of easy access to small arms and light weapons,” she said.

She spoke to Angel News’ Kwadwo Baffour during this year’s commemoration of the International Day of Peace under the theme “End Racism, Build Peace”, a programme held at the Assemblies of God Church headquarters, Ringway Estate in Osu, Accra.

Meanwhile, the National Peace Council (NPC) chairman, Rev Dr. Ernest Adu Gyamfi, called for an all-inclusive stakeholder dialogue in resolving the Bawku conflict.

He added that due to the ongoing conflict and instability at Bawku, the communities within the enclave in the Upper West region are lagging in development.

“It is in a peaceful coexistence that the country can develop. For instance, the road from Bolga to Bawku has been asphalted to Bawku’s outskirt. It has not extended into the town itself. Someone would perceive that the state abandoned Bawku while developing country, but it is due to the conflict."

“Right now, hospitals are closed, and schools as well. Nothing productive is going on in the town. The community has lost its good name. So we urge all to contribute to restoring peace to the community," he added.