Casualties reported in renewed chieftaincy clash at Bawku
An unconfirmed number of people have been reported killed Sunday, while others sustained various degrees of injuries in a renewed chieftaincy clash at Bawku in the Upper East Region.
Some sources put the number at more than six but Police authorities are yet to confirm the number to the Ghana News Agency.
Sources told the Ghana News Agency that the clash started after the alleged killing of an old man and his son at Natinga on Saturday.
According to them, the old man was shot dead at his home, while his son died later on Sunday.
This sparked sporadic shooting within the Bawku Township, leading to the casualties.
Some houses have also been burnt.
The security forces stationed in the the area have, however, restored calm there.
The protracted conflict has to do with disagreement over the performance of the funeral of a chief who died more than 42 years ago.
This would pave the way for the enskinment of another chief.
Some residents complain that Bawku has no an Overlord.
Since the re-start of the conflict in November, 2021, many lives have been lost while properties including houses, destroyed.
The situation prompted the government through the Ministry of the Interior to impose a curfew on movement of people in the area.
The Upper East Regional Security Council also placed a ban on the wearing of smock, riding of motorbikes and the operations of Mahama Can Do (tricycles) in the area.
But in October, 2022, REGSEC temporally lifted the ban on the operations of tricycles after persistent appeals from public sector workers over lack of means of transport to their work places.
In September, 2022, a high powered government delegation, including Mr Ambrose Dery, Minister of the Interior, Mr Dominic Nitiwul, the Minister of Defence and the Inspector General of Police, Dr George Akuffo-Dampare, and some staff from the two Ministries, also visited the area to engage the factions in the conflict to give peace a chance.
Meanwhile, the Government, through the Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, noted that the Chieftaincy disagreement was settled by the Supreme Court in 2003 and urged all parties to respect the ruling.
Source: GNA