The curfews, sufferings and hardships being experienced in Bawku and its surrounding communities will soon be a thing of the past, as the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr Stephen Yakubu, has assured that the security situation in the area is getting better.
According to the Regional Minister, some measures that were put in place to ameliorate the situation are yielding results.
He noted that rigorous sensitisation campaign on “See Something, Say Something”, as well as the establishment of Forward Operating Bases (FOBs) in our border communities with Burkina Faso and Togo, have gone a long way to improve on security in the region.
He also said the government, through the Ministries of Defence, Interior and the National Security has equipped and supported Security Agencies in the region with relevant logistics required to maintain peace and order and protect the territorial integrity of the country.
“I can tell you confidently that things are getting better. With the unflinching support of Government, the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and other stakeholders, peace and order has since returned to these areas and the region at large,” Mr Yakubu said.
He made this known at the State of Region Reports, a news conference put together by the Ministry of Information to enable Regional Ministers disseminate developmental projects in their respective regions to the country.
The conflict in Bawku and its surrounding communities, which was started decades ago, has resulted in the loss of lives and properties.
A total ban on the carrying of arms, ammunition or any offensive weapon within the area, were some of the measures put in place, in a bid to curb insecurity in the communities and the region as a whole.
That aside, tricycles which are the main source of transportation in the region were banned and curfews were imposed on affected communities to salvage the situation.
Mr Yakubu noted yesterday that most of these restrictions, which were placed in the conflict communities, have been relaxed and this has enabled socio-economic activities in these areas to bounce back.
He expressed appreciation to the government and other stakeholders for the role they played in ensuring that calm is restored in the region.
Mr Yakubu indicated that in order to sustain the gains made in the area of peace and security and further improve on regional collaboration and socio-economic resilience of the region, the government has rolled out the Gulf of Guinea Northern Regions Social Cohesion (SOCO) Project, where a colossal sum of GH¢311,229,134.00 would be injected into the region over the next five (5) years.
He, therefore, called on people, who due to insecurity in the region, are not considering investing in the region to do so, because their security is assured.
“I wish to allay the fears of all those who do not know the region very well and encourage investors who intend to invest in the region to please do so,” Mr Yakubu said.
