Three hand over weapons in Bawku
Three persons in the Bawku Municipality in the Upper East Region have voluntarily handed over their weapons to the security agencies as part of their commitment to peace in the area.
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The move followed an appeal by the Minister of the Interior, Mr Mark Woyongo, last year for residents of the area to willingly hand over their weapons in exchange for cash rewards.
The exercise was also part of efforts to implement a systematic mopping-up exercise to help retrieve weapons from the custody of civilians in the municipality, which has over the years been plagued by disturbances.
For security reasons, the names of the three were not given.
Reward
Speaking to the Daily Graphic on the exercise yesterday, the Bawku Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Issahaku Bukari, explained that the Ministry of the Interior and the National Security Council Secretariat were yet to complete discussions on the package to be given to persons who voluntarily handed over their weapons to the security agencies.
He, however, said as a way of encouraging more residents to bring out their weapons, the Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) was planning to reward such individuals while waiting for the ministry and national security to come out with their package for such persons.
Normalcy
The chief executive intimated that the municipality was now enjoying some peace since the last disturbances in the area a couple of months ago.
According to the MCE, residents were now prepared to live in peace to ensure that Bawku regained its lost glory as one of the commercial hubs in Northern Ghana and the Sahelian regions.
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Motorbike
Touching on the lifting of the ban on the riding of motorbikes in the municipality, the MCE explained that the ban was reviewed following the improved security situation and also to make life more comfortable for the residents.
The ban was imposed about five years ago as part of measures to forestall the recurring shooting incidents in the area. Only women and some civil servants were allowed to ride motorbikes in the municipality. The ban was, however, reviewed in March this year to allow both men and women to ride their bikes from 6:00am to 6:00pm. Pillion riders were however, not allowed.
The protracted Bawku chieftaincy conflict started around 1983 between the Mamprusis and Kusasis during the Samanpiid Festival. The internecine conflict has claimed many lives and destroyed several properties of the feuding factions over the years.