“This situation requires urgent attention by Government, other stakeholders and all humanitarian agencies,” they appeal in their statement following their November 11-15 Plenary Assembly that took place at St. Pope John Paul II Formation and Training Centre, Ofoase Kokoben, of Obuasi Catholic Diocese.
The Mamprusi and Kusasi people have been fighting for years. According to Project MUSE 2014 study, at the heart of the age-old violent conflict land ownership, with members of both communities claiming ownership.
The insecurity in the Bawku region and its environs is said to be “compounded by the recent influx of refugees from Burkina Faso into the area thus putting further pressure on the already impoverished and beleaguered communities welcoming these refugees seeking a safe haven,” the study indicates.
In their latest collective statement, Ghana’s Catholic Bishops say peace in Bawku requires dialogue, understanding, and reconciliation. “We call for the immediate cessation of hostilities,” they appeal, urging all factions to embrace peace-building initiatives.
GCBC members go on to condemn political interference, describing it as a barrier to resolving the protracted conflict that has affected the region for years. “Political meddling must stop,” they insist, and call for the depoliticization of the crisis to pave the way for a lasting solution.
“For the future of Bawku and the peace of Ghana, let us choose dialogue over violence,” they say in the eight-page statement that their President, Bishop Matthew Kwasi Gyamfi, signed.
The Catholic Church leaders also weigh in on the Proper Human Sexual Rights and Ghanaian Family Values Bill, which they say has “ignited passionate discussions across the country.”
The proposed legislation is crucial for safeguarding the sanctity of the family and upholding traditional values rooted in Ghana’s cultural and Christian heritage, GCBC members say.
“We urge the President to give his assent to this Bill, which we believe aligns with the moral convictions of almost all Ghanaians. We see no justification for the President’s delayed action on the matter,” Ghana’s Catholic Bishops say.
They add, “In fact, we consider the reasons proffered for the delay as mere excuses. This is not a call for discrimination, but for the preservation of our moral fabric and the protection of the traditional marriage and family as the foundation of our society.”
