The Defence Minister, Dominic Nitiwul has urged the personnel of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) to deal ruthlessly with perpetrators of the Bawku conflict. 

The Minister said such persons are criminals and must be treated as such. 

According to Mr Nitiwul, the ongoing conflict is no longer tied to chieftaincy issues.

He thus said the government will send 500 more military personnel to Bawku next week to maintain peace.

He, however, disclosed that there are currently 400 soldiers in the community to assist with the conflict.

“What is happening today is not about chieftaincy. It is criminality. Those operating are criminals. I have asked members of the armed forces to deal with such persons as pure criminals. 

Government has done what it can on its part to ensure that Bawku is peaceful. We have moved Bawku from 50 to 400 soldiers, so we are sending another 500 military task force to Bawku alone next week,” he said on the floor of Parliament on Wednesday, February 8.

The Defence Minister has already disclosed that there was an attempt to blow up a bridge at Bawku by the persons behind the conflict.

According to him, this is the first time this is happening in the history of decade-long conflict in the region.

He said this attempt was made on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Bawku Central MP said if indeed the attempted destruction of the bridge happened, then it is most unfortunate.

This, according to him, is the reason he is fighting for justice to prevail in the situation.

He added that “if the youth feel that nobody is going to be held accountable for what happened, then you are easily pushing them to do what they ought not to do.”