A Lecturer at the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre (KAIPTC), Dr Victor Doke, has advised the government to invest in the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and other Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) to address and resolve the Bawku conflict.

According to him, adequate funding for conflict resolution bodies will ensure effective engagement with the various factions involved in the conflict.

Dr Doke believes this approach will position the government at the forefront of the Bawku conflict, and related matters, as opposed to the running practice of resourcing committees only after the conflict has already intensified.

Speaking on The Pulse on JoyNews, he recalled how in the early 2000’s, "We had a consortium of NGOs that went to Kumasi, engaged the two factions and came up with recommendations. What has come out of those recommendations? Can we boldly say that the recommendations have been implemented?

He recalled that a peace committee or secretariat was to be set up and resourced. "In fact, this is a body that is mandated to look at the conflict and address it. It was constituted of members or representatives of every ethnic group in Bawku. This committee has not been resourced. They need periodic capacity building with regard to conflict resolution so that they can address issues relating to festival celebrations, burials, and whatnot.”

Dr Doke explained that the only way to completely resolve the conflict was through continued engagement with all factions. This way, he said the conflict resolution body would always be up-to-date on the matter.

“We don’t have the sustained engagement going on so we have this, what we call... firefight push coming in every time. You are not looking at the structural preventive measures. 

“The creation of jobs, ensuring that there is justice where people who have been found to be perpetuating crime either in Bawku or outside have been made to face the full rigorous of the law. That has not happened,” he said.