Resolving the Bawku conflict

Peace moves should target the youth

Will the Bawku conflict ever end? And, if it will end at all, when and how?

These are legitimate questions people ask anytime there is an announcement on the review of curfew hours in the Bawku municipality.

Interestingly, it is not only citizens of Bawku who are bothered by the situation in the area, but the majority of Ghanaians, day in and day out express grave concern at events in that part of the country.

They are concerned, as Ghanaians who love peace and then the fact that precious lives are lost, properties destroyed and money meant for development is channelled through peace-keeping.

The Ghanaian Times strongly believes the conflict in Bawku which has claimed a lot of lives and retarding development is not a lost case.

The conflict can be resolved, if for once, a very vital section of the community decides so. And that group is the youth.

We totally agree with Mr David James Abang-Gos, the Upper East Regional Co-ordinator of the National Youth Council when he stated at a youth forum that if the youth in Bawku can say “enough is enough” to the recurring ethnic conflict, peace would prevail.

He believes saying 'no' to the conflict was necessary, because the youth were both the perpetrators and victims.

The fact is, it looks as if, the elders and opinion leaders in the area have not shown any commitment to the cause of achieving a lasting peace in the area.

We cannot, recount the number of times they have pledged their allegiance to peace moves and then gone back on their words.

Not even the personal intervention and appeal by President John Atta Mills could move them to accept to live in peace.

What the youth in Bawku, must know and understand, is that, those who encourage and finance them to fight have nothing to lose.

Those so-called war-lords have made their monies already and have achieved what they want in life.

Infact, they have given their children the best in education and do not therefore care what happens to the other children in Bawku.

They ignite the flame of violence, run down to Accra and in the comfort of their luxurious homes, issue press statements, condemning others.

It is the view of this Times that future peace moves should target the youth, since it is clear that opinion leaders cannot be trusted anymore

Credit: Ghanaian Times