Mr Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, has urged legislators and social commenta­tors to refrain from politicising the Bawku conflicts in view of the volatile situation in the area.

The Majority Leader noted that the Bawku conflicts could be traced back to 1957, therefore, it would be disingenuous for any political party to use the Bawku conflicts to score “cheap” political point.

Mr Ayariga was responding to former Minister of Defence and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament for Bimbil­la, Dominic Nitiwul, who criticised the ruling government for failing to release funds and logistical resources to the Military to deal swiftly with the Bawku crisis.

Mr Nitiwul was commenting on the Mid-Year Budget Review during a debate in Parliament.

Mr Nitiwul also refuted claims made by Dr Cassiel Ato Forson, the Finance Minister, during the mid-year budget review that the government had supplied 3,500 motorbikes to the security agen­cies. Mr Ayariga, while clarifying issues on the floor of Parliament, remarked: “I have restrained myself from commenting on Bawku…I beg you, don’t politi­cise Bawku…let’s be sensitive to the volatile security situation in Bawku.” The Bawku Central leg­islator gave the assurance that the government was working tirelessly to bring lasting peace to the area.

The Bawku conflict has esca­lated in recent weeks with killing of a Kusasi Chief in Asawase in Kumasi and subsequent killing of two students at the Nalerigu Senior High School by unknown gunmen. Those killings have been linked to the Bawku ethnic conflict thus sparking public outcry and demand for the government to act decisively to end the conflict in the area.