Former Member of Parliament and of Parliament’s Defence and Committee, Collins Owusu Amankwah, has called for an honest national conversation about the protracted conflict in Bawku.

Speaking on JoyNews' The Pulse on Monday, Mr Owusu Amankwah called on stakeholders to confront the root causes of the crisis, stating that the time has come for the truth to be told if a lasting solution is to be found.

"How can both the Kusasis and Mamprusis make claims to ownership of Bawku? How can both tribes claim to be the indigenous inhabitants and owners of the same piece of land? Where are the historians? it means that there is a hidden truth that must be unravelled," he said.

His comments follow the recent resurgence of violence in the area, which claimed three lives over the weekend.

The renewed clashes have once again drawn attention to the long-standing tensions in the Upper East Region town, which has suffered intermittent unrest for years.

He also called for a more coordinated national response, noting that piecemeal interventions have failed to bring about sustainable peace.

JoyNews understands that some private and state firms, including the Social Security and National Insurance Trust (SSNIT), have closed their operations in the area.

The Bawku conflict, rooted in chieftaincy disputes and ethnic tensions, remains one of Ghana’s most enduring internal security challenges.

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