U/E Minister visits conflict area in Bolgatanga

Bolgatanga, Jan. 16, GNA - The Upper East Regional Security Committee (REGSEC) led by the Regional Minister, Mr Boniface Gambila, on Monday visited Bukere and Soe suburbs of the Bolgatanga municipality where a violent conflict broke out at the weekend, to assess the situation on the ground.

During the visit, the Regional Minister urged the chiefs of the two areas to ensure that peace was maintained, emphasising that without peace no meaningful development could take place. He further entreated the chiefs and people of the areas involved to channel their energies and strength into development instead of pursuing the path of conflict.

Mr Gambila enjoined the two chiefs to help the security personnel to identify the culprits and to bring them to book to serve as a deterrent.

The Regional Police Commander, Mr Ofosu-Mensah Gyeabour, assured the residents of Bolgatanga to go about their normal lawful activities, as the situation was under firm control. He said more police and military reinforcement would be provided in the conflict zone to ensure peace and tranquillity and appealed to the chiefs to advise the youth to lay down their weapons or face the full rigours of the law when caught.

Meanwhile, when Ghana News Agency (GNA) visited some of the schools in Bukere on Monday, they were all closed down. The affected schools were Bukere Primary, Awogeya Primary, Abilba Number two, Awogeya Junior Secondary, and Love and Happiness Primary School. On Sunday the youth of Bukere and Soe engaged in fight in which a 28-year-old woman lost her life and nine persons sustained various degrees of injuries. Eight houses household property belonging to some residents were also burnt in the process.