Accra-Ghana, Feb 9, GNA – The government is set to send 500 additional military personnel to Bawku in the Upper East Region next week to uphold peace, Mr Dominic Ntiwul, Minister for Defence, said in Parliament.
He said presently, there were 400 soldiers in the region to assist in resolving the conflict.
Mr Mahama Ayariga, National Democratic Congress (NDC), Member of Parliament, Bawku Central, has accused the military of shooting indiscriminately into some indigenes running for cover, killing seven of them in the process.
He has, therefore, petitioned the Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) over the alleged killing by the military.
The allegation had since been refuted by the Ghana Armed Forces.
In a statement, the Ghana Armed Forces said: “they engaged an armed combatant in Bawku and neutralised six of them.”
However, Mr Ayariga is demanding investigations into the incident and GH¢500,000 compensation for each person allegedly killed by the military.
Contributing to a statement on the conflict on the floor of Parliament, Mr Ntiwul noted that the conflict was no longer tied to chieftaincy issues.
According to him, some individuals had taken advantage of the situation and urged the military to treat such individuals involved in the disturbances as criminals.
“Mr Speaker, what is happening today is not about chieftaincy. It is criminality. Those operating are criminals. I have asked members of the armed forces to deal with such persons as pure criminals,” he said.
The Defence Minister noted that the government was committed to addressing the situation.
He said: “The government has done what it can on its part to ensure that Bawku is peaceful. We have moved Bawku from 50 to 400 soldiers, so we are sending another 500 military task forces to Bawku alone next week.
The NDC Minority Caucus in Parliament has called for an ad-hoc committee to probe the alleged killings.
