The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Zebilla parliamentary candidate, John Krugu is alleging the misuse of the Ghana Card to identify tribal affiliations amidst the renewed conflict in Bawku.
The development according to him has resulted in several casualties.
“I am aware that people have not slept in the last two nights. It has been a full-fledged war ongoing and now you have a situation where two factional chiefs are living next to each other.
“Bawku is not a big town and each side is aiming at getting to the other person so you have an illegitimate chief who is sitting there and then you have the existing chief who is celebrating 40 years on the throne and then you have young men who are losing their lives,” he said.
In an interview on Accra-based FM, Mr Krugu who is troubled by the death and injuries in less than 24 hours disclosed the Presbyterian Hospital has been overwhelmed.
Due to the use of the Ghana Card, he bemoaned innocent people who have no connection with the primary tribe; Kusasis and Mamprusis in the dispute have been caught up.
“Last night, we got the message that there was no space to keep the injured at the Presbyterian Hospital, roads were blocked and you cannot carry the injured to Bolgatanga for treatment. The roads between Bolga and Tamale were blocked and people were being asked for their Ghana Cards to identify their tribal affiliation and to kill them.
“I am aware that some people who do not belong to the two tribes were mistakenly killed and this is a sad situation that we are having,” he stated.
Mr Krugu’s comments follows the killing of eight passengers by armed men who blocked the Bolgatanga-Tamale Highway near Gbimsi on Sunday.
Passengers caught in the blockade were reportedly interrogated over their identities while two vehicles were set ablaze.
The situation has resulted in a heightened security deployment to Bawku to restore peace and avert further escalation.
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