Bawku (U/E) Ghana – All six Members of Parliament of the Kusaug Traditional Area in the Upper East Region have advised factions in the Bawku Chieftaincy conflict to respect the ruling of the Supreme Court and allow peace to prevail for sustainable development.
They said the Chieftaincy dispute was settled by both the Supreme Court and the 1992 Constitution, which confirmed the Bawku Naba as the rightful Overlord of the area and that “there is nothing to fight about.”
The Members of Parliament, led by Mr Cletus Avoka, MP for Zebilla, said these when they visited the area and engaged with major stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the recent instability in the area.
The rest are Mr Mahama Ayariga, MP for Bawku, Mr Abdulai Abanga, MP for Binduri, Madam Lydia Lamisi Akanvariba, MP for Tempane, Madam Laadi Ayii Ayamba, MP for Pusiga and Mr Albert Akuka Alalzuuga, MP for Garu.
The MPs, who engaged the Upper East Regional Security Council, Bawku Municipal Security Council and the Kusaug Traditional Council, were to find out the cause of the recent instability between civilians and security agencies and to reconcile them.
Mr Ayariga explained that apart from the PNDC Law 75, which declared the Zugraan Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II as the rightful Paramount Chief of the Kusaug Traditional Area, the Supreme Court in 2003, ruled the same and there was no need for continued violence over “matter that has been legally settled and respected by all Presidents that have come.”
He said articles 270 and 277 of the 1992 Constitution, which deal with passing laws on Chieftaincy matters and defines a Chief respectively, was the basis that restored the status of the Bawku Naba and all factions needed to respect the Constitution.
“The most important message that must be passed out is that there is absolutely nothing to fight about because it has been settled in the laws that the Zugraan is the Overlord of the Kusaug Traditional Area.”
Mr Ayariga said due to misinformation many lives had been lost while economic activities had been interrupted and urged the youth to desist from violence and allow peace to reign.
Mr Avoka, on his part, noted that there could not be development without peace and urged the residents to cooperate with the security agencies to deal with perpetrators of the violence and urged the Kusaug Traditional Council to allow peace to reign and ensure reintegration of all ethnic groups.
Since November 2021, the Bawku Municipality and its environs have experienced violent chieftaincy disputes, resulting in the killing and injuring of many people.
The conflict started due to disagreement over the performance of the funeral rites of a Chief who died more than 41 years ago. The funeral would pave way for the enskinment of another chief.
Currently, a curfew is in force from 2000 hours to 0500 hours while a ban has been placed on motorbike riding and wearing of smocks within the Bawku Township and its environs.
Meanwhile, the government, through the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, in a statement, noted that the Chieftaincy disagreement was settled by the Supreme Court in 2003 and urged all parties to respect the ruling.
More than 45 people have been killed so far, with several injured since the recurrence of the impasse in November 2021.
