Security analyst Professor Kwesi Aning has drawn national attention to a
troubling new dimension in the ongoing Bawku conflict. According to the
respected consultant, what began as ethnic and chieftaincy-related tensions has
now transformed into a crisis driven by organised crime and a vast
transnational network.
Speaking on the JoyNews AM Show, Professor Aning noted that the nature of
the conflict has significantly evolved. He stated that many still assume the
violence is a straightforward battle between two ethnic factions or rival
chiefs. However, he explained that the roots of the crisis now run much deeper,
involving criminal elements that are exploiting the existing divisions to push
their own illegal agendas.
“What we are witnessing in Bawku today is not just about tradition or
ethnicity. It has moved beyond those,” he said. “Criminal networks are now at
the centre of the conflict, manipulating old suspicions and ethnic narratives
for their benefit.”
Professor Aning, who holds a public office, refrained from sharing specific
details about these groups due to the sensitive nature of the subject.
Nonetheless, his message was clear: the conflict in Bawku is no longer just a
local matter. It has become complex, with regional and possibly international
implications.
He criticised the prevailing narrative that presents the crisis as purely
ethnic or rooted in chieftaincy struggles. According to him, that
oversimplification does not help but rather worsens an already volatile
situation. “Seeing this as only an ethnic or chieftaincy problem distorts the
truth and may inflame tensions,” he said.
In his remarks, the professor also questioned the government’s capacity to
effectively resolve the crisis. He warned that without a strategic and
well-resourced intervention, the violence may continue to escalate beyond
control. “The situation is extremely delicate,” he said. “We lack the necessary
resources and strategic backbone to bring lasting peace.”
His comments underscore the urgency for a reassessment of the government’s
approach to the conflict, especially in identifying and confronting the
criminal networks now believed to be sustaining the unrest. Professor Aning’s
assessment sends a sobering reminder that the Bawku conflict is no longer a
localised tribal issue but a broader national security threat that demands
immediate attention.
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