“Kusasis Are Rightful Custodians of Bawku”-- Cletus Avoka

The Minister for the Interior, Honourable Cletus Avoka, says the volatile situation in Bawku is as a result of the culture of impunity inherited from past administrations. According to him, all kinds of atrocities were committed in the area in the past, and questions why no arrests or prosecution have been made to that effect.

Hon. Cletus Avoka, who is also the Member of Parliament (MP) for Zebilla in the Upper East Region, was at a loss in understanding why the then Highest Court of the land (Court of Appeal) pronouncement on the Bawku chieftaincy issue, dating as far back as 1958, a decision which was later affirmed in 2003 by the Supreme Court, had not been adhered to.

“In 1957, the last colonial Governor of the Gold Coast set a Committee of Enquiry to ascertain a place for the Kusasis and Mamprusis as to who are the legitimate chief of Bawku and the Committee of Enquiry decided for one of the factions. This was affirmed by the then highest court of the land the Court of Appeal, that the Kusasis are the chief of the land, it’s in the Ghana Law Report."

"As if this not enough, in 2003, one of the factions, the Mamprusis went to court that, the current Bawku Naaba, was not qualified to be a chief…the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the Kusasis,” he explained.

Speaking on Peace FM`s flagship programme “Kokrokoo”, the Interior Minister denied media reports that he was not committed to ensuring peace and tranquility in the area. He dismissed the embattled MP for Bawku Central; Hon. Adamu Daramani’s call for him to resign from his current position as Interior Minister.

Whiles expressing optimism that the Bawku crisis will soon be over, Hon Avorka dismissed the call by the embattled MP for Bawku Central, Hon. Adamu Daramani on him to resign from his current position as Interior Minister.

“One of these days, the hearts of Bawku residents will be touched and the crisis will be a thing of the past…majority of the people are very happy at the measures implemented in the past 6 months…instead of pooling our resources and energy together in finding a solution, he’s (Daramani) starting a blame game of this man is behind this, Ayariga is behind this,” he lamented.

Source: Emmanuel Bekoe/Peacefmonline