President John Mahama has ordered the military to ensure the safe passage of goods and passengers along the Bolgatanga–Bawku–Pulmakom road in the Upper East Region.

This is a vital trade route linking northern Ghana to Burkina Faso and Togo.

The directive follows rising security threats and disruptions on the corridor.

The President’s order responds to concerns raised by the Overlord of Mamprugu, Naa Bohaga Abdulai Mahami, during Mahama’s recent visit to the region.

The Overlord expressed frustration over the absence of security escorts for Mamprusi residents and traders travelling to Bawku, contrasting it with the heavy military presence accompanying Kusasi vehicles through Walewale and other routes.

“This apparent imbalance in the treatment of citizens is not only disheartening, but it also risks derailing the delicate peace efforts we have all been working so hard to sustain,” Naa Bohaga stated, calling for equal protection for all communities.

Tensions have escalated since the establishment of a new Kusasi market in Bawku, which has triggered a wave of banditry and attacks on Mamprusi traders along the Bolgatanga–Bawku–Pulmakom and Bawku–Missiga–Kulungugu highways.

In September 2023, nine Mamprusi traders were killed near Pusiga. An operative of the Defence Intelligence Unit was also killed near Missiga, prompting brutal retaliatory attacks on Kusasi travellers, vehicles, and other targets in Walewale.

Since early June 2025, more than 40 Mamprusi cargo trucks transporting perishable goods have been stranded in Bolgatanga for nearly a month, awaiting security escorts. Authorities had yet to respond.

The Overlord demanded urgent action: immediate security escorts for the trucks, clear communication from the Regional Coordinating Council and Ghana Police Service, and a long-term plan to secure movement in conflict-prone areas.

In response, President Mahama ordered the military to deploy and provide protection for all vehicles travelling through the Bawku–Pulmakom–Bolgatanga and Walewale–Bolgatanga corridors.

“As Commander-in-Chief, I’ve instructed the Armed Forces to provide armed escort and protection to all vehicles travelling within the Bawku area and along the Bawku–Pulmakom–Bolgatanga corridor, and also along the Walewale–Bolgatanga corridor,” President Mahama stated.

Military deployment is to begin immediately. The Ghana Armed Forces, working with regional security agencies, will establish checkpoints, intensify patrols, and offer escort services for high-risk convoys using the corridor.

Local leaders and residents have welcomed the intervention. Alhaji Ibrahim Musah, a transport union representative in Bawku, described the move as timely.

“The insecurity has been hurting businesses and endangering lives. We thank the President for listening and acting decisively,” he said.

The Bolgatanga–Bawku–Pulmakom road remains a critical artery for trade and cross-border movement.

With instability across the wider Sahel region threatening to spill over, the government’s swift military response is being seen as vital to protecting both livelihoods and national security.