Bawku turmoil: Conflicting figures over death toll

When the Bawku township got engulfed in turmoil this week, initial reports emerging from the area gave conflicting accounts of the cause of the conflict.

Early reports reaching Accra said it was sparked by an incident of armed robbery in the Possum area.

But later reports indicated otherwise. Chieftaincy disputes and landownership issues have been cited to be the causes of the violence.

Lives have been lost and property destroyed in the clashes involving Mamprusis and Kusasis in and around the Bawku Township. The government was compelled to impose a curfew on the area. Military and Police personnel have been sent to the area to keep the peace.

Some reports put the figure at six, others say four, while the figures seven and 15 have been put up by some other sources. It is now difficult to tell how many have really died as a result of this conflict.

It is also not clear how many have been injured, because just like the case of the dead, there are conflicting figures.

One death, is one too many. Conflicts are a bane to any society.

There reports of ongoing dialogue among opinion leaders and chiefs in Bawku and sorrounding towns to find a solution to the conflict.

Lasting solutions to sporadic communal violence should be found, so that Ghanaian communities can move forward in peace.

Scarce resources that are deployed to quell these fights, could be used to develop these communities.