Attaining Peace In Bawku Will Give Me Greater Joy

President Nana Akufo-Addo has said that, nothing will give him greater joy in the concluding days of his eight-year administration, than attaining complete peace in Bawku in the Upper East Region.

According to the President, there is no higher priority for his administration on the national security agenda than the total resolution of the conflict.

The conflict in that part of the country has lingered on for years, transcending different presidents, a development which has been a major cause of worry for the nation at large.

But speaking at this year’s May Day celebration held at Jubilee Park in the Upper East Regional capital of Bolgatanga yesterday, May 1, 2023, President Akufo-Addo said government is not reneging and not only enhancing the deployment of security in that town, but it is also working to resolve the customary tensions that underline the conflict.

While responding to the call by the secretary-general of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), Dr. Anthony Yaw Baah, for government to intensify bringing lasting peace to area, the President, who is in his last but one year of his two terms, prayed for wisdom to see through the resolution.

He said government is doing its bit to ensure that peace is brought to Bawku just like he did in the Dagbon crisis in the past in the Northern Region.

“In response to the appeal by the secretary-general to intensify efforts at bringing peace to Bawku, I want to assure him and, indeed, the nation at large, that there is no higher priority for Government on the agenda of national security than the resolution of the Bawku conflict.

Not only are we enhancing, as we speak, the security deployment in the area to promote more strongly the rule of law, and hold accountable all who violate law and order in the area, we are also intensifying the efforts to find a solution to the customary tensions that underline the Bawku conflict, so that, hopefully, a final resolution of that conflict can be attained, just as it has been attained in Dagbon. Nothing will give me greater pleasure, in the concluding days of my presidency, than to help bring lasting peace to Bawku. May God grant me the wisdom to achieve that outcome.”

Meanwhile, the President has entreated all Ghanaians, including the labour unions, to continue to good uphold and strengthen relations between government and the unions.

At the same event yesterday, he said that the peace the country is enjoying presently should not be taken for granted.

“On this august occasion, I appeal to all Ghanaians, including Organised Labour, to build on the good rapport and excellent relations that exist between us. The peace we enjoy today should never be taken for granted,” he said.

According to him, the government will continue to support the labour union for the development of the country.

Speaking on the current state of the economy, the President reassured the public of a rapid economic recovery. This, he said his government will not relent in achieving.

He also hinted at steps being taken to mitigate the impact of the Domestic Debt Exchange Programme (DDEP) on the domestic financial sector.

According to him, the economic recovery measure has been quite successful.

He cautioned that there are people who would seek to capitalise on the current economic hardship for selfish gains, saying “In times of difficulties, there would be those who would seek to exploit the situation in order to jeopardise the hard-won reputation of our country as a beacon of democracy and stability in Africa, and, indeed, in the world, in order to gratify their personal ambitions.

Their ambitions show little or no respect for the capacity of the Ghanaian people to change their government peacefully through the ballot box, something they have done on three (3) separate occasions in the thirty (30) year life of the 4th Republic.

The great majority of us, who are committed to democratic values and democratic institutions, must continue to resist the claims of these adventurers, and employ all legitimate means in a democracy to maintain our free, open system of governance, which is respectful of human rights, the rule of law and the principles of democratic accountability.”

Source:Anchorghana.com