REGSEC bans motorbike riding in Bawku
The Upper East Regional Security Council has placed a ban on riding of motorbikes in the Bawku Municipality and its surroundings, effective Monday, January 24.
This ban comes a day after some unconfirmed number persons, including a police officer, were reportedly killed, while some others have sustained various degrees of injuries in the Bawku Town.
A statement, signed and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Bolgatanga by Mr Stephen Yakubu, Upper East Regional Minister, said both men and women must comply with the ban.
“The Regional Security Council has examined the security situation and its volatile nature in the Bawku Township and with immediate effect imposes a ban on riding of motorbikes in the Bawku Municipality and its environs,” it said.
“It is also instructive to note that this ban does not include motor tricycles,” it added.
The statement, therefore, admonished the Bawku Municipal Security Council to strictly enforce the directive until further notice.
Since November 2021, the Bawku Municipality and its environs have experienced violent chieftaincy disputes resulting in the killing of about 40 persons and the injuring of many.
A source close to the Bawku Presbyterian Hospital told the Ghana News Agency that there were sporadic gunshots in the evening of Sunday, which calmed around 2000 hours.
It later picked up at dawn at 0400 hours this morning and according to the source, two persons died in the night at the Hospital from their gunshot wounds.
The conflict has to do with disagreement over the performance of the funeral of a chief who died more than 40 years ago, which would pave the way for the enskinment of another chief.
There is also controversy over whether Bawku has an overlord or not.
The Ministry of the Interior had earlier imposed a curfew in the area to restrict the movement, especially in the night as part of measures to deal with the insecurity situation, but the violence continued.
The situation compelled the REGSEC to also place a ban on the wearing of smock in the Municipality; as well as pillion riding by males.
Meanwhile, the Government, through the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, in an earlier statement, stated that the Chieftaincy disagreement was settled by the Supreme Court in 2003 and urged all parties to respect the ruling.
Source: GNA