The official death toll in the Bawku conflict has risen to 28 following the death of two of the 38 persons, who were admitted to the Regional Hospital at Bolgatanga with gunshot wounds, the Acting Upper East Regional Director of Health Services, Dr Nsiire Agana.
According to a Ghana News Agency story, arrangements had been completed to airlift those in critical condition to the 37 Military Hospital in Accra.
The Regional Co-ordinating Council had given each of the wounded 200,000 cedis as pocket money. Meanwhile the 48 suspects, who were remanded in custody, when they appeared before the Regional Tribunal on Tuesday, were being transferred to prisons in the Brong Ahafo, Ashanti and Eastern Regions.
The Kussasi and Mamprusi ethnic groups clashed during the weekend following the burning of a kiosk belonging to one of the factions and what was perceived as a retaliatory move of the other.
The Regional Security Council (REGSEC) told newsmen on Tuesday that the Police and Military reinforcement had taken firm control of Bawku and surrounding areas and the people were able to move about freely.
Health workers, who deserted the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital, had returned to post. A dusk to dawn curfew is still in place and brisk commercial activities characteristic of Bawku is yet to pick up.
Mr Mahami Salifu, Regional Minister, Brigadier George Aryiku, Officer Commanding the Northern Command of the Ghana Army, Mr Paul Quaye, Regional Police Commander and officials of the Bawku District Assembly toured the area to assess the extent of destruction.
Areas affected included the Kumasi Number Two Station popularly called Justice Station, where shops, a cargo truck carrying oranges, a bus, a taxicab, two pickup vehicles, foodstuffs and petroleum products were burnt.
Three other Kumasi stations, Numbers One, Number Three and Number Four, the Ghana Co-operative Transport Association office, Miami Old Station and several houses were burnt. Addressing the soldiers, Brig. Aryiku warned them against aligning themselves with any of the factions and asked theme to remain neutral and conduct themselves professionally during the operations.
Brig. Aryiku urged them to disarm all persons with illegal arms and cautioned them to respect the rights of the people because their mission was not to bully but to bring peace and sustain it.
The Regional Minister commended the security personnel for their timely intervention and pledged the Regional Co-ordinating Council's preparedness to provide logistics to enable them to accomplish their mission.
Earlier, Mr Salifu held separate meetings with opinion leaders of both factions and urged them to bury their differences and forge ahead to build the district that "had been left to the mercy of conflicts and wars."
Both parties agreed to respect the peace and pledged to co-operate with security personnel to maintain order. They also expressed their dissatisfaction about media reports that linked the conflict to Osama bin Laden and asked the authors to retract it and apologise to them.
Students of Bawku Secondary School and Bawku Technical Institute had deserted their compounds following what they said the Kussasis had dubbed: "Chasing out our enemies from our land" campaign.
Mr Ernest Owusu-Poku, Inspector General of Police, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency confirmed the closure of some schools in the township following the clashes. "There is no lawlessness now since most of the inhabitants are staying indoors and everything is under control."
Bawku had been likened to Jerusalem where two different groups of people lay claim to the town - Palestinians and the Israelis.
The Mamprusi until the early 1980 were the rulers of Bawku but following persistent clashes it was resolved that the Kusasis, who were the owners of the land should be recognised and the Kussasi Chief Abugrago Azoka II became the Bawku Naba (Chief of Bawku).
Notwithstanding the arrangement, Bakwu remained a flash spot with the two ethnic groups clashing over the least of provocations.
Just before the 1996 elections a young man allegedly beat up his girl friend, who happened to belong to the other ethnic group. This episode, which should have normally passed as lovers' quarrel, degenerated into a serious clash during which some kiosks and houses were burnt.
When the 1996 election results were declared there was another clash between the two groups. Again after the 2000 elections there was a clash in which several people were killed and property destroyed.
