The Chief Justice, her ladyship Justice Araba Sackey Torkonoo has ordered for the closure of some nine courts up north of the country following the renewed Bawku crisis that has claimed over a dozen lives.

The action comes after the Chief Justice's attention was drawn to concerns expressed by lawyers and other stakeholders about the current situation in Bawku and its environs.

A statement signed by the Judicial Secretary, Justice Cyra Pamela Koranteng said, "In order to ensure the safety and security of judges, staff, lawyers, and court users, the Honourable Lady Chief Justice has ordered the closure of the following courts with immediate effect, until further notice."

The courts are High Court, Bolgatanga, Circuit Court, Bolgatanga, District Court, Bolgatanga, District Court, Zuarungu, District Court, Zebilla, District Court, Garu, and District Court, Bongo.

"Registrars are to keep all assets of the courts in proper custody, and all staff are to stay safe," the statement added. 

Meanwhile, Stephen Asamoah Boateng, Minister of Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, stated that 16 people have died as a result of the recent violence surrounding the long-running chieftaincy feud in Bawku.

He revealed this knowledge on Tuesday, October 29, 2024, at a press conference in Accra.

After a parallel chief returned to Bawku after a court of appeals revoked his arrest order, the violence between the Kusasi and Mamprusi ethnic groups flared up again.

Ethnic tensions resulting from chieftaincy disputes have long plagued Bawku, a commercial town in the Upper East Region.

Violence in December 2022 resulted in significant property damage and the deaths of 18 people. There had been some relative calm in the area until October 26, 2024, when eight people were killed when militants stopped the Bolgatanga-Tamale road.

Asamoah Boateng underlined the government's resolve to put policies into place that will restore harmony and guarantee the security of Bawku citizens.

“The government is committed to taking all necessary measures to ensure the safety and security of the people of Bawku and its environs," the minister stated

KA

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