Security consultant, Professor Kwesi Aning, has emphasised the importance of ensuring that proposed solutions to restore peace in Bawku are free from political inclinations.

He argues that political biases can hinder the development of a holistic approach to resolving the violence in the region.

The call comes in the wake of recent violent incidents in Bawku, where five individuals were shot dead, highlighting the longstanding conflict in the area. Concerns have been raised about the challenges faced by successive governments in addressing the root causes of the problem comprehensively.

Prof. Kwesi Aning, speaking on JoyNews' AM Show, expresses the belief that adopting a dispassionate and non-political approach is crucial for effectively addressing the issues and achieving sustainable peace in Bawku.

"I think the unfortunate part of this Bawku crisis has been extreme politicisation of the resolution interventions. If it is Party A that is in power, their approach to resolving the conflict is different from Part B. But the root of the conflict is the same," he said on JoyNews.

Prof. Aning explains that allowing political inclinations to influence the resolution process in Bawku can exacerbate the existing problems and contribute to the persistence of the crisis.

"And therein lies my argument earlier, that when the root of a conflict becomes overlooked, it festers, becomes intractable then others begin to exploit it for their pecuniary ends. That is what we are seeing," he explained on Monday, January 22, 2024.

“So we need to take the politics out of understanding what the problem is, what the intervention options must be, and when there is consensus about the intervention, [there must be] consensus to pursue to its legitimate end.”

As of January 18, three additional fatalities occurred in Bawku, bringing the total death toll to five within a span of 48 hours. The individuals were reportedly shot by soldiers who asserted that they discovered firearms in their possession.

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