Universal Friendship Organisation Condemns Bawku Conflict, Calls for Urgent National Intervention

The violence in Bawku has claimed the lives of innocent civilians, including children, pregnant women, and persons with disabilities. As the conflict persists, countless more lives remain at risk. The worsening security situation is unacceptable—we cannot remain silent while our fellow citizens suffer.

We call on peace advocacy groups, including the Peace Council, Christian Council, Muslim leadership, civil society organisations, and traditional authorities, to rise and take swift, decisive action.

Where are the voices that preach peace during elections? We urge pastors, imams, and other faith leaders to extend their influence beyond the pulpit and mosque—to actively work toward peace in Bawku.

This is not merely a regional issue, it is a national emergency that demands urgent and collective action.

The long-standing conflict between Kusasis and Mamprusis is reversing decades of social and economic progress. Bawku is fast becoming a ghost town.

Fear has driven away public and private sector workers, teachers, nurses, traders, and civil servants, who no longer feel safe.

Without swift intervention, the municipality risks total collapse.

It is deeply concerning that prominent peace-building institutions and leaders have not addressed the Bawku crisis with the urgency it demands. Their silence and perceived inaction are eroding public trust and undermining their credibility.

We call on them to rise above passivity and take bold, committed steps toward reconciliation and sustainable peace.

While we acknowledge ongoing government efforts to restore calm, the lack of robust and consistent engagement from civil society and peacebuilding organisations is a major gap.

Peace promotion must not be seasonal or event-based—it should be continuous, proactive, and rooted in the needs of the people.

To effectively address the crisis, the Universal Friendship Organisation recommends the following:

Enhanced border security to prevent the influx of illicit arms and ammunition.

Increased logistical and legal support for national security forces to suppress violence.

Joint military-police operations to disarm individuals and groups illegally in possession of weapons.

Now is the time for all peace-promoting institutions, NGOs, traditional leaders, youth organisations, and faith-based groups to assume collective responsibility for restoring peace in Bawku.