Poor leadership, hypocrisy responsible for unending Bawku conflict - Dr Adam Bonaa

Security analyst Dr. Adam Bonaa has expressed his frustration with the leadership and security agencies in Ghana for their handling of the unending violence in Bawku.

According to him, the resurge of violence in the area is simply due to poor leadership and hypocrisy.

In an interview with GhanaWeb's George Ayisi, Dr. Bonaa highlighted the issue of a rival chief being installed in Nalerigu and subsequently moving to Bawku after a warrant for his arrest was lifted.

He questioned the role of security agencies in preventing this situation.

“If you look at the current run of violence, it is needless. It should not have happened. I saw that there was a warrant to arrest the rival chief who was installed in Nalerigu. But eventually, when the warrant was lifted, he found his way into Bawku. And that is what has brought us where we are. And the question I've asked is, should that have happened? Where were our security agencies? They slept,” he said.

He criticised the government's response, particularly the imposition of a curfew, which he described as a temporary measure that fails to address the root causes of the conflict.

"Curfew is just a temporary measure. We are not providing solutions to the people of Bawku. And unfortunately, it is innocent people who are suffering, innocent lives that we are losing," he said.

Dr. Bonaa urged the state to ensure due process is followed for a single legitimate chief in Bawku,

"There cannot be two legitimate chiefs. If we are going to follow due process, then Bawku must have one legitimate chief.

"The state must ensure that the right thing is done. You could bring them to a roundtable and tell them, you know, this is how this thing is supposed to be. But when we leave them, it is innocent people who are dying," he asserted.

Regarding the closure of courts in the area, Dr. Bonaa warned that it signifies a failure of the state to maintain law and order.

He explained that the closure leads to a state of anarchy, as legal processes are disrupted.

"What the CJ has done in Bawku is tantamount to saying there is all-out chaos in Bawku. We are descending into anarchy.

"So if you close down all the courts, all you have done is a state of anarchy in the area. All courts, meaning courts in areas that have nothing to do with Bawku have all been closed down. All staff have been sent away. So it means that as we speak, in a portion of Bawku, Law and Order doesn't work," he stated.

Dr. Bonaa called on leaders to take responsibility and find lasting solutions to the conflict, stressing that the current approach is inadequate and harmful to innocent civilians.

ID/ ADG

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