The Upper East Region on Thursday celebrated the 51st Independence Anniversary of Ghana with a call on the people of Bawku to endeavour to maintain peace in the area.

"Peace is very important and we can say that the calm Bawku is experiencing now is a good sign that the peace talks held in Bolgatanga three weeks ago and the subsequent Radio Broadcasts on the need for peace was yielding good results that should be maintained."

Mr. Alhassan Samari, Upper East Regional Minister said this during the celebration of independence in Bolgatanga where he inspected the various contingents of the security personnel and later took the salute during the parade of school children and voluntary organizations. He called on the chiefs, opinion leaders and the youth to use the special anniversary of the nation to seal off all their differences and start afresh with good friendly relations as one people, quoting the popular saying, "together we stand, divided we fall".

He noted that development projects meant for the area would not take place if there was no peace and once those projects were sent somewhere else that would be a loss to the Municipality.

The celebration attracted school children, security personnel and representatives of various organizations.

It was also graced by a delegation from Burkina Faso led by the Mayor of the Central South Province, Madam Pauline Hien Winkuon and Mr. Gouba Boudouna, Mayor of the Bittou District.

Madam Winkuon extended congratulations to the people of the Region for the anniversary and reiterated the desire of the South Central Province to maintain and improve the good relationship with the Upper East Region.

She called for the two Regions to continue to work towards creating good conditions for free movement of goods and services that would further enhance the relationship between Burkina Faso and Ghana. Madam Winkuon wished Ghanaian women a good celebration of the Women's Day, saying that such a special day would give women and all who work for the advancement of women an opportunity to reflect on what could be done to further improve the lot of women.

Earlier speculation by some sections of the media that the Independence Celebration might not take place in Bawku as a precautionary measure against further violence was dashed as the celebration went on smoothly without any problems.

For the first time since the beginning of the conflict in January, the Chief of the Kusasi traditional Area, Naba Abugrago Asigri Azoka II, attended a public function; also Heads of Departments who, it was alleged had been afraid of performing their administrative duties for the fear of being harassed or harmed were at the independence celebration to give their support and participate in the activities. Mr. Abudulai Abanga, the new Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Bawku, noted that it was significant that peace and normalcy was returning to the area and appealed to the citizens to continue to nurture and maintain peace in the area.