General : curfew

Curfew at Bawku Municipality renewed

ghanazone — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 10:40:00 GMT

The Minister of the Interior, Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor has, on the advice of the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC) and by Executive Instrument, renewed the curfew imposed on the Bawku Municipality and its environs for another one week with effect from Monday, July 7. The curfew hours have been relaxed from 1800 hours to 0600 hours each day instead of 1400 hours to 0800 hours each day. He said the change in curfew hours was the result of the improved security situation in Bawku and its environs.

The government commended the people of Bawku for the relative peace in the area and appealed to them to help in the search for lasting peace.

Meanwhile, the government has reiterated that the ban on all persons, in the Bawku Municipal Area, Zabugu, Binduri, Pusiga and Zoosi townships and their environs from carrying arms, ammunitions or any offensive weapon still remain in force, and any person found with any arms or ammunition would be arrested and prosecuted.

Curfew renewed in Bawku and environs

daisy — Tue, 10 Jun 2008 08:53:00 GMT

The Minister of the Interior, on the advice of the Upper East Regional Security Council and by Executive Instrument, has renewed and extended the curfew hours imposed on Bawku and its environs by another week.

The curfew hours, however, remain unchanged from 6.00 pm to 6.00 am each day.

Nana Obiri Boahene, Minister of State at the Ministry, who signed an official statement on Monday, said though calm had been restored to the Bawku Municipality, Zabugu, Zoosi, Binduri and Pusiga townships, the curfew had to be re-imposed to enable the security agencies to monitor the situation to ensure that the security of affected areas was not compromised.

He implored all factions to work towards peace since only the people themselves, and not the presence of the security personnel, could end the conflict.

"Government will like to make a passionate appeal to all the factions in the dispute to join the National Peace Council to find a permanent and lasting peace in the area."

Nana Boahene said the ban on all persons in Bawku, Zabugu, Binduri, Pusiga and Zoosi townships from carrying arms, ammunitions or any offensive weapon still remained in force.

"Any person found with any arms or ammunition will be arrested and prosecuted," the statement said.

Source: GNA

Bawku crisis: 46 arrested for breaking curfew

daisy — Fri, 16 May 2008 10:14:00 GMT

Forty-six people, including juveniles, from the Bawku municipality were yesterday arraigned before a Bolgatanga District Magistrate’s court for breaking the curfew enforced in the area.

They were charged with breach of curfew under section 9 sub-section (A) of the Public Order Act of 1994.

Their pleas was not taken but they were granted GH¢400 bail each with one surety until May 21.

They were also ordered to report to the Bolgatanga District Police every two days or be re-arrested.

Police Inspector John Agyuwa told the court presided over by Mr Osman Abdul Hakeem that following renewed clashes in Bawku on May 4, the Minister of the Interior imposed a curfew on the Bawku municipality and its environs from 9 a.m. to 7 a.m. the following day.

He said the suspects were, however, arrested in the municipality at 11a.m. on May 5, for breaking the curfew.

The prosecutor asked the court to remand them in custody in view of the prevailing circumstances in the area.

However, Mr Douglas Seidu, counsel for 40 of the suspects, all of them Mamprusis, pleaded with the court to release them on bail quoting Act 459 of 1994 which entitled persons arrested for breach of curfew to bail.

The presiding magistrate then warned the suspects to behave themselves when they go back home or face the full rigorous of the law if they breached the conditions of the bail.

Meanwhile, 50 other youths who were arrested following the outbreak of hostilities in Bawku on May 5, are still on remand and will appear again on May 21.

Alhaji Karim Oga, a Kusasi opinion leader was gunned down on May 4, as he was returning home after prayers at the mosque

Source: The Ghanaian Times

Bawku: Curfew now 16 hours

daisy — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:36:00 GMT

The Minister of the Interior, has per Executive Instrument, reduced the 22-hour curfew imposed on the Bawku municipality, which will now hold from 3pm to 7am.

Mr. Kwamena Bartels told Joy FM that the new development follows security intelligence and the advise of the Regional Security Council that the situation has relatively subsided, with the installation of beefed-up security.

The 22-hour curfew, from 9am to 7am was imposed on Monday after gun battles erupted between Kusasis and Mamprusis following the shooting to death of a Kusasi opinion leader on Sunday.

Five deaths were recorded in the ensuing exchanges while several houses and cars were burnt.

Seventy-two persons have also been arrested and are being screened for their roles in the disturbances.

Mr. Bartels explained that the two hours was quite short, and even though it was necessary at the time to enable the security personnel take control of the situation, it did not afford the people the time to attend market, attend to nature’s call or do basic household chores.

According to the Interior Minister, reports he received pointed to a calm Bawku, except two houses that were burnt in the Binduri area on Tuesday.

Bartels called for an end to the hostilities so peace could prevail, saying that enough blood has been shed and believed colossal sums of money which could have been channelled into developing the area, was being spent on keeping the peace.

Shortly before he announced the curfew review, the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga, had appealed, also on Joy FM, for a review, saying the harsh curfew, even though justified on imposition, was exacting severely on the people.

He said those who suffered most were the ordinary people, women and children who were unable to even attend to nature’s call because about 99 percent of the households lacked toilet facilities. They also obtained water from communal taps and boreholes and the curfew prevented them from accessing water.

Mahama Ayariga said residents were relocating out of the town as a result of the harshness of the curfew, which had created a panic situation. Again, because most houses were not walled, the people were forced to stay in their rooms instead of being on their compounds, while the prevailing 'very hot' weather made staying indoors an unbearable undertaking.

Author: Isaac Yeboah

Bawku burns again - four dead, 22-hour curfew imposed

daisy — Mon, 05 May 2008 10:27:00 GMT

Bawku in the Upper East Region has just been placed under a 22-hour indefinite curfew beginning from 9am Monday after continuing gun battles exploded on Sunday between Kusasis and Mamprusis claiming four lives.

According to Interior Minister, Kwamena Bartels who spoke to Joy FM a while ago, the fighting is still ongoing and the curfew is to push a lot of people into their rooms and assist the police and military to bring the situation under control.

Personnel reinforcements have already been ordered from nearby towns; Sunyani and Tamale to help quell the violence that has already seen the razing of lots of houses in Pusiga, Binduri and Bugri while vehicles have also been burnt.

The Interior Minister, who spoke on the Super Morning Show, said sporadic shooting is still ongoing, started on Sunday when a Kusasi opinion leader among worshipers returning from the mosque who was shot at and wounded badly, died around Zebila while being transported to the Bolga Government Hospital after first aid at the Bawku hospital.

As a result of the death, the Kusasis also armed themselves and attacked Mamprusis who also returned fire, leading to the escalation of the situation.

Bawku has not known peace since Kusasis and Mamprusis traded gunshots from New Year’s Day, leading to several deaths and loss of property, a situation that has seen many revised curfews.

The situation appeared to have experienced some lull until Sunday’s incident.

Author: Isaac Yeboah

Curfew reimposed on Bawku

daisy — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 09:54:00 GMT

The Ministry of the Interior has re-imposed the curfew on the Bawku Municipality, Zabugu, Binduri, Pusiga, Zoosi and their environs.

A statement signed by Mr Kwamena Bartels, the Interior Minister, said the curfew hours from 10.00 pm to 4.00 am remained unchanged.

The statement noted that government believed that the maintenance of the curfew hours would serve as an incentive to help maintain and consolidate the peace in and around Bawku.

It appealed to all factions to exercise maximum restraint and partner government to bring permanent peace to the area.

The statement also commended the chiefs, elders, opinion leaders and all stakeholders in the Bawku Municipality and its environs for the improved security situation in the area.

Mr Bartels reminded the public that the ban on all persons in the Bawku Municipal Area, Zabugu, Binduri, Pusiga, Zoosi and Garu townships and their environs from carrying arms, ammunitions or any offensive weapon remained in force.

He said any person found with arms or ammunitions would be arrested and prosecuted.

The curfew was imposed on the area following violent chieftaincy clashes between Kussasis and Mamprusis in January.

Government eases Bawku curfew

daisy — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 11:51:00 GMT

The Minister of the Interior, Mr Kwamena Bartels, has, on the advice of the Upper East Regional Security Council, eased the curfew on the Bawku Municipality, Zabugu, Binduri, Pusiga, Zoosi and their environs. The curfew will now start from 10 pm and end at 4 am each day instead of 8 pm to 5 am. A statement signed by Mr Bartels said the reduction of the curfew hours was in recognition of the continued maintenance of the peace and security in the Bawku Municipality since Monday, March 30, 2008, following President's John Agyekum Kufuor's meetings with both Mamprusis and Kusasis in his continuing efforts at brokering permanent peace in Bawku. The statement reminded the public that the ban on all persons in the Bawku Municipal Area, Zabugu, Binduri, Pusiga, Zoosi and Garu Townships and their environs from carrying arms, ammunitions or any offensive weapon still remained in force, and any person found with any arms or ammunition would be arrested and prosecuted. "The government continues to appeal to all the factions to exercise restraint whilst government looks at ways to bring permanent peace to the area," the statement added.
	Source - GNA

Government re-imposes curfew on Bawku

ofosua — Wed, 30 Jan 2008 12:19:00 GMT

Accra (Gh) – 30 January 2008 - The government on Tuesday re-imposed the curfew in the Bawku area amid calls by some Members of Parliament for a permanent standby military presence in the town and its environs to avert further conflict. The members' call follows reports of dead bodies being found each day in some areas despite the deployment of security personnel. Mr Mahama Ayariga, (NDC Bawku Central) told Parliament that the situation in the area was still very tense, following the conflict, which broke out between Kusasi and Mamprusi ethnic groups on December 31, leading to the imposition of the curfew. “The security agencies should be vigilant in the next few days,” Mr Ayariga said, warning of possibilities of renewed clashes. He said what made the situation worse was the fact that there were reports that the rival parties were threatening each other “not to make the mistake of crossing into the each others neighbourhood or territory”. Mr Dominic Azumah, (NDC-Garu/Tempane) had asked that the Ministry of Defence and Interior, should deploy a permanent standby military team or post at Bawku to quickly move in to avert any potential conflict. He said reconciliation among all stakeholders with the involvement of religious and political leaders be pursued to remove suspicion and fear. In a statement on the floor of the House, the Interior Minister, Mr Kwamina Bartels, said the curfew had been re-imposed and would cover between 2000 hours and 0500 hours. He said information available to his office indicated that there were 10 deaths while 104 houses and stores had been burnt. Mr Bartels said two new but unconfirmed deaths had also been reported and that 22 people had been arrested in connection with the violence. Mr John Ndebugre, (PNC-Zebilla) said a military presence was not the solution, adding that dead bodies were still being found almost on a daily basis despite the presence of security personnel. Rather, there was urgent need to promote reconciliation between the feuding parties, he suggested.
	Source - GNA

Bawku happy with reviewed curfew

ghanazone — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 14:53:00 GMT

Residents of the Bawku municipality have hailed the change in the curfew hours from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. - 5 a.m. as a move in the right direction.

This, according to them, is because relative peace has returned to the area and people were going about their normal businesses.

They were particularly happy because the curfew hours seriously affected not only their businesses but their social life to the extent that the youth who did not possess T.V. sets at home were being denied the opportunity to watch matches of the Ghana 2008.

Those seriously affected included food vendors, coffee and tea shop operators, communication centres and transport operators.

Sources close to the Bawku Municipal Assembly said that they were losing lots of revenue from landing fees from transit vehicles to neighbouring countries like Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Togo.

An officer of the military data at Bawku when contacted simply said "Everything is cool and under control".

Another trader, however, made a passionate appeal to all in the area to behave responsibly so that the curfew would be lifted completely to enable them to return to normal social and economic activity.

When the Information Services Department van went round the municipality to announce the reduction of the curfew hours, they were greeted with shouts of jubilation by the people.

In a related development, Mr. Alhassan Samari, the Upper East Regional Minister, Wednesday received 350 bales of temporary tents ¬valued at GH¢l.05 billion from the UNHCR in collaboration with the Ghana Red Cross Society, for victims of the Bawku conflict.

Source: The Ghanaian Times

Government re-imposes curfew at Bawku

ghanazone — Tue, 15 Jan 2008 14:27:00 GMT

Government on Monday re-imposed the curfew on the Bawku Municipality but lifted it on Zabugu and Garu townships in the Upper East Region following recommendations from the Regional Security Council (REGSEC).

A statement issued in Accra and signed by Mr Kwamena Bartels, Minister of the Interior said: " The curfew is still from dusk to dawn (0600am to 0600pm)".

The statement said the curfew was re-imposed following attacks on some people and the burning of some more houses and motorcycles in the Mamprusi section of Bawku.

"All of which confirm that the calm and peace was still fragile with tension and suspicions still prevailing in the Bawku Municipality. There is, therefore, the need for the area to be monitored closely so as to consolidate the peace", it said.

The statement said the military detachment in Bawku was being reinforced and that the ban on all persons in the Bawku Municipal area, Zabugu and Garu townships and their environs from carrying arms and ammunition or any offensive weapon was still in force.

The Ministry of the Interior on January 7, 2008 re-viewed the curfew imposed on the Bawku Municipal, Zabugu and Garu townships and environs following the eruption of communal violence.

Eight people were confirmed dead - seven from Bawku and one from Garu - while 16 people were confirmed injured with 104 houses and stores completely burnt down and 23 houses partially burnt. Five vehicles were also burnt.

Source: GNA