The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Upper East Region has expressed worry over what it said is growing insecurity in the region.
In a press statement dated September 7, 2023 and signed by its Regional Secretary, Donatus Akamugri, the party said the region is increasingly becoming insecure due to a surge in crime rate in recent times.
The party is particularly concerned about recent violent clashes between locals and Fulanis in different parts of the region as well as attacks on high profile personalities including two of its leading members which have resulted in the death of one.
These incidents, coupled with the protracted inter-tribal conflict in Bawku, it stated, have retarded development and led to loss of lives and could further jeopardize security in the region if not tackled.
It is, therefore, calling on government to take pragmatic steps to deal with the situation so as safeguard the lives of residents and ensure uninterrupted development in the area.
“The NDC as a party is getting worried about the abnormal strange developments in the Region as far as crime is concern and therefore wish to entreat the government to adopt swift and strategic measures to ensure the return of peace and stability in the Region so as to pave way for the sporadic development of the Region without hindrances,” it said.
“The Region has great potentials in terms of Art and Culture, farming, livestock production, and tourism as well as large scale commercial agriculture and industrialization. These rich potentials however suffer retardation as a result of these unwarranted insecurity situations which the government needs to tackle relentlessly in order to salvage the good people of the Upper East Region from traumatic experiences on their lives”.
It served notice of embarking on a mammoth protest to drum home its demand if the government fails to take immediate steps to address the security situation.
“We will wish to add that the NDC Will not hesitate to organize a Regional demonstration involving all the Municipalities and Districts within the Region in the coming weeks to register our displeasures if no immediate stringent efforts are made by the government to address the high rate of insecurity in our Region”.
The NDC’s concerns come on the back of the murder of its immediate past Regional Vice-Chairman, Williams Akanyele.
Mr. Akanyele was shot dead in his bed room at Nabango in the Kassena-Nakana West District by unknown assailants.
Prior to his killing, the Binduri Constituency Chairman of the party, Martin Ariku escaped unhurt following a similar attack on him in his home.
The party has since reported the murder incident to the police and is hoping that the security service will be diligent in their investigations to apprehend the perpetrators for them to face the full rigors of the law.
