Majority Leader calls for calm in Bawku

The Majority Leader in Parliament, Mahama Ayariga has called for calm in Bawku while efforts were being made to seek justice for the soldier who was allegedly killed in the area.

He entreated all aggrieved parties to exercise maximum restraint in the aftermath of the incident.

While the leader expressed concern over the death of the soldier, he condemned the alleged military brutalities of the people in the area.

Speaking on the floor of Parliament last Wednesday, Mr Ayariga, who is also the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Bawku Central, expressed his condolences to the family of the deceased soldier and all those who have lost their lives in the Bawku conflict. 

Justice

Mr Ayariga, while acknowledging the need for justice for the death of the soldier, urged the law enforcement agencies to work with community leaders to identify the perpetrators rather than resorting to mass retaliation.

“I will never condone the killing of anyone, especially a soldier who has left his family and has come to help us establish law and order in the Bawku area,” he said.

“So I express my sincere condolences to the family and I urge the law enforcement agencies, the military and the police to work with the community leaders to try and investigate and identify the person behind the killing of a soldier who has come to help us.

Let us maintain peace in the place,” the Bawku Central MP emphasised.

Mr Ayariga condemned the alleged actions of the soldiers in response to the killing, stating that they had invaded homes, markets and other areas, assaulting innocent people.

“Mr Speaker, it is equally not right for the soldiers since last night to invade homes, meeting places, markets where women were going about their daily chores and beating up everybody, assaulting, injuring women, old men, children.

Anybody who hasn’t run away and is still in the town is being beaten up by the soldiers,” he said.

Reputation

Mr Ayariga cautioned that such actions would only damage the reputation of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) and called for an immediate end to the alleged brutality.

Other MPs including the NDC MP for Garu, Dr Thomas Anaba, and the NDC MP for Pusiga, Hajia Laadi Ayii Ayamba, expressed similar sentiments.

The MPs, who also expressed their condolence to the bereaved family and the military for the loss, called for a more targeted approach to apprehend the perpetrators instead of the inflicting of harm on innocent people.

Sensitivity

The Second Deputy Speaker and New Patriotic Party MP for Fomena, Andrew Asiamah Amoako, who was presiding over the House, urged legislators to be circumspect in their submissions on the issue recognising its sensitivity.

“I know this is a sensitive area.

I’ll urge the few people I’ll ask to comment to be circumspect.

Please, let’s be circumspect with whatever we say, I beg you,” he said.