President John Dramani Mahama has directed the military to shift from peacekeeping to peace enforcement in conflict zones.
The president made this announcement while making an appeal to warring Kusasi and Mamprusi factions to give peace a chance.
Speaking during a courtesy call by the Yagbonwura Bii-Kunutu Jewu Soale I at the Jubilee House on Tuesday, he registered his frustration with the ongoing violence that has disrupted education and forced public servants to flee their posts.
The president said he could no longer accept the current security situation where students are shot in school and killed, and teachers and public officers have all run away from Boko because they are afraid for their lives.
According to the President, the military directive change means “security forces are going to be a bit more robust with anybody who is involved in criminality.”
He stated that the shift from peacekeeping to peace enforcement represents a tougher stance against those perpetrating violence in affected communities.
The president made a direct appeal to the feuding communities, declaring, “I take this occasion to appeal to our brothers and sisters, Kusasis and Mamprusis, to give peace a chance.
” He emphasized that continued fighting and killings could only be carried out by “people who want to derail the mediation efforts” currently underway.
Mahama disclosed that he has entrusted the mediation efforts to Otumfuo, who has been providing regular briefings on the progress toward a resolution.
According to the president, the mediation process is “almost there,” making current violence particularly counterproductive to peace efforts.
He extended his peace appeal beyond the Kusasi-Mamprusi conflict, stating, “let us give peace a chance, not only in Bawku, but in Nkwanta, and all the other places where we are currently suffering conflict.”
The president positioned peace as a prerequisite for development, declaring that “there can be no progress without peace.”
President Mahama used the Gonja Kingdom as a model for peaceful coexistence, telling the Yagbonwura, “I wish to commend you for the peace that reigns in Gonja land. It is my wish that other areas will learn from the peace that Gunja enjoys.”
He emphasized that despite Gonjaland being “made up of different people of diverse languages and culture,” they remain “united as one.”
The president called on communities to see each other as each other’s keeper and urged leaders to open opportunities in Savannah to everyone in Savannah, no matter your language or your culture.
He stressed that unity, patriotism, and compassion are more urgent than ever as Ghana faces various security challenges.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
