By Savannah Pokuaah Duah
Flagbearer for All People’s Congress (APC), and a native of Bawku in the Upper East Region, Hassan Ayariga, has passionately appealed for peace in his community.
Taking his turn on GBC’s Presidential Encounters on Thursday, November 15, 2024, he emphasised the devastating human cost of the ongoing conflict and urged all parties to prioritise dialogue and shared responsibility.
Mr. Ayariga highlighted the urgency of finding a peaceful resolution. “Peace is expensive, but war is more expensive than peace,” Ayariga stated.
He lamented the impact of violence on young lives, saying, “It is young boys, 18, 19, 20… It is not old men and old women who are dying. We are taking their future away,” he added.
Ayariga called on all stakeholders, including the government, political opponents, and community members, to recognise the Bawku crisis as a national crisis affecting all Ghanaians.
“We sit at the edge of a crisis, and we think that the Bawku crisis is for Bawku people; Bawku citizens are part of Ghana. They have a presidential candidate; they have a state; they have people who are dying,” he stated.
He denounced violence, stating, “Gun will never ever bring peace.” Ayariga stressed the importance of dialogue, urging sincerity and honesty in negotiations. “We need to begin to be truthful to ourselves and sincere to ourselves,” he said.
The APC flagbearer directly pleaded with the people of Bawku to end the violence.
“I am pleading with all of you. Silent the guns. Silent the guns. And let’s coexist,” he urged, emphasising the importance of a peaceful future for everyone. Ayariga reiterated that dialogue is the only path towards lasting peace and urged all parties to choose peaceful solutions.
He expressed deep concern for the lives lost and suffering caused by the ongoing conflict. “I don’t want to bury anybody. And I don’t want anybody to bury me,” he said.