The deadly conflict in Bawku is no longer just a local skirmish—it’s a national crisis. That’s the blunt assessment from security expert Professor Kwesi Aning, who warns that the violence, rooted in decades-old ethnic and chieftaincy disputes, is spilling over and shaking the very core of Ghana’s stability.
“This is not just a Bawku conflict,” Prof. Aning declared on JoyNews’ AM Show on Monday. “This is a Ghana conflict with regional implications, connections, and networks.”
The northern town of Bawku has long been the epicenter of recurring unrest, but Aning says the current flare-up has evolved. It’s no longer about a single township. It’s about how unresolved tensions—ignored for too long—are now threatening the entire nation. And the perpetrators? Many of them aren’t even in Bawku anymore.
“Those who are perpetrating and profiting from the violence are not necessarily located in the Bawku township,” he said, pointing to a deeper, more complex web of influence behind the chaos.
At least three people, including two young police officers, have lost their lives in the latest wave of violence. But the toll is broader: communities are being torn apart, residents are being displaced, and public confidence in national security is being tested.
Prof. Aning called for urgent, strategic, and intelligence-driven national action—beyond the usual military presence that has done little to douse the flames. “We need to better understand the network and to use the intelligence available to take the necessary actions,” he urged.
His warning is clear: this isn’t just Bawku’s problem anymore—it’s Ghana’s. And if left unchecked, it could soon become West Africa’s.
Source:TheDotNews