A security expert, Dr. Adam Bonaa, has warned that the ongoing Bawku conflict poses a significant risk to the safety of all Ghanaians if the violence is not curbed.
In an interview with GhanaWeb TV’s George Ayisi, Dr. Bonaa emphasized the potential dangers the decades-old chieftaincy dispute could have on the country’s security, especially with the 2024 general elections approaching.
He pointed out that violent incidents tied to the Bawku conflict have already spread to other parts of the country, far from the conflict zone, raising concerns about the national impact.
“You know, this thing spread all the way to Ashaiman, Kasoa, Madina, and other places… the very Bawku conflict, because you have Kusaasis who are in Accra, you have Kusaasis who are in Kumasi, you have Kusaasis who are in Wa, who are in Kejetia, who are in Mamprobi, they are everywhere. You have Mamprusis who are also in these areas as well, and they live together.
“Nobody is too far away. If you heard about ‘kill the cockroaches,’ the Rwandan genocide, ‘Kill the cockroaches.’ Houthis and the Tutsis. So my point is that what is happening is that some persons are sleeping. So if you thought that you are in Accra, they will fight and bring it to Accra, and it will affect all of us. I said the thing nearly entered Accra; some people were injured in Ashaiman and other places,” Dr. Bonaa said.
Dr. Bonaa also highlighted the grave implications of the Bawku conflict, warning that it could escalate into ethnic cleansing if not effectively addressed.
“Ethnic cleansing, that is what we risk. You know the Bawku conflict: you have the Kusaasis on one side, Mamprusis on one side, and depending on which tribe you are, you are seen to be associated with either the Mamprusis or the Kusaasis. To the extent that even if you are our nomadic friends, even if you are a Fulani, you are perceived to belong to one side, so sometimes you are shot and killed,” he said.
The recent spike in violence in Bawku has led to the deaths of around 25 people and left many others injured.
Dr. Bonaa attributed the ongoing conflict to a failure in leadership and called on the government to take immediate action to address and resolve the situation.