The Mamprugu Youth Association (MAYA) has voiced deep concern over the escalating violence and security breakdown in Bawku, calling for swift government action to protect lives and restore order in the embattled border town.
At a press conference held on Tuesday, the youth group lamented the deteriorating security situation, which has not only claimed lives — including the tragic death of a six-month-old child — but also threatened the region’s economic heartbeat and social cohesion.
Bawku, once a symbol of peaceful coexistence and cross-border commerce, has seen rising ethnic tension and violence, which the Mamprugu Youth say has been fueled by the establishment of a parallel market by segments of the Kusasi community following renewed clashes in 2021.
According to the group, this alternative market has become a flashpoint for ethnic discrimination and intimidation, with some Mamprusi traders and their allies reportedly blocked from accessing it under threat of violence.
The group further accused armed youth of targeting not only Mamprusis but also other ethnic groups and international traders, and obstructing access to the central market — acts they described as “economic sabotage” and “domestic terrorism.”
Adding to the tension, the youth association condemned recent attacks on police and state installations in Bawku, including the burning of the Divisional Police Commander’s residence, parts of the Bawku Police Barracks, and multiple other facilities. They criticized the lack of public condemnation from Kusasi leaders and their political representatives, and expressed dismay over what they saw as leniency from the security services.
Their sharpest criticism, however, was directed at the Inspector General of Police (IGP), whom they accused of showing bias during a recent visit to the conflict zone. According to MAYA, the IGP’s decision to apologize to the Kusasi community — whom they allege were responsible for attacking police installations — while ignoring the Mamprusi side, has worsened tensions and undermined police morale.
“The IGP’s actions have emboldened the perpetrators and demoralized the security personnel risking their lives for peace,” the group said, while also mourning two police officers who were killed in an ambush on April 13.
The association also rejected calls by some Kusasi groups for the arrest of Bawku Naba, Naa Sheriga Alhaji Seidu Abagre, the Mamprusi-recognized chief of Bawku. They described the demand as “baseless, illegal and provocative,” highlighting that a prior attempt to arrest Naa Sheriga had already been declared unlawful by Ghana’s Court of Appeal.
The group called for the government and the security services to remain impartial and firm, warning that continued favoritism or inaction risked deepening the conflict and undoing mediation efforts currently led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
“We stand for peace, but peace must be built on truth and justice,” the group stressed, urging national authorities to enforce the rule of law fairly and ensure the safe reopening of roads and essential services, including the Bawku Central Market, hospitals, and schools, which have been disrupted by the conflict.
The Mamprugu Youth Association’s statement reflects growing frustration among community members who feel sidelined in both local security management and national discourse, even as tensions in Bawku threaten to spiral further.
As the region waits for diplomatic efforts to yield a sustainable peace, MAYA reaffirmed its commitment to non-violence but warned that its patience should not be mistaken for weakness.
