Political statements don’t help Bawku conflict resolution – Festus Aubyn warns
Aubyn emphasised that peace in Bawku must be approached holistically, calling for strategic dialogue involving youth groups and traditional leaders
The West African Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) has urged political actors and the general public to refrain from politicising the ongoing conflict in Bawku, stressing that such statements only complicate efforts at resolution.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (14 April), Festus Aubyn, Head of Research and Capacity Building at WANEP, lamented the continued use of the conflict as a political tool by parties in opposition rather than offering collective support to end the decades-long strife.
“When one party is in power, the other party is always blaming the party for not being able to deal with the situation, instead of supporting the party in government to find an amicable solution to the situation,” Aubyn said.
“Some of these political statements don’t help, and we shouldn’t encourage that moving forward.”
The recent escalation in Bawku has claimed at least three lives, including two young police officers, raising fresh security concerns in the Upper East Region. The conflict is rooted in deeply entrenched ethnic and chieftaincy disputes, which have defied decades of interventions.
Aubyn emphasised that peace in Bawku must be approached holistically, calling for strategic dialogue involving youth groups and traditional leaders.
“The situation has gotten to a point where all of us, whether MPP, NDC, or CPP, put our heads together to find an amicable solution to the problem, instead of the continuous politicisation,” he stressed.
WANEP is advocating for sustained peacebuilding efforts, especially from national leaders and the community itself, to ensure that the area does not continue to suffer periodic violence and instability.
