Abide By Supreme Court Ruling – Government Tells Bawku Chieftaincy Factions

The Ministry of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs has urged factions in the recent Bawku chieftaincy impasse to abide by a Supreme Court ruling on the matter to allow peace to prevail in the area.

It also urged all stakeholders in the dispute to desist from actions and pronouncements that could further escalate tensions and violence in the area. There have been renewed fights between the feuding factions amid reports of gunshots, causing some deaths and destruction of properties.

The Ministry, in a statement signed and issued by Mr Ebenezer Kojo Kum, the Sector Minister, on the instructions of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and copied to the Ghana News Agency in Accra, on Wednesday, said claims that Bawku did not have an overlord and attempts to install a new Bawku Naba ran contrary to the already determined position by the Supreme Court on the matter.

“The status of the Paramount Chief of Bawku has been settled by the Supreme Court of Ghana in the celebrated case in April 2003. “Indeed, the judgements of the Supreme Court, the highest court of the land are meant to be complied with and not subject to the opinions of any individuals or group to pick and choose whether to abide by the judgments or not,” the statement said.

It noted that until or unless a decision of the Supreme Court was varied or set aside, that decision was binding on all persons.The statement said per the list of members of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs with its Regional House at Bolgatanga, the Paramount Chief of Bawku and the current occupant of the skin was Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, who was enskinned on April 24, 1984 and thus became the President of the Kusaug Traditional Council.

“It is our expectation that all parties will abide by the decision of the Supreme Court and let peace prevail in Bawku,” the statement said. It assured of Government’s resolve to ensure that persons holding offices legitimately were uninhibited from performing their roles and functions, adding that the security agencies had been authorised to take all necessary steps to ensure that law and order was fully enforced and that any persons in breach of the peace would be brought to book.

Source: GNA