For the past four years, life in Bawku and its neighbouring districts—Binduri, Pusiga, Garu, and Tempane—has been a portrait of fear, shattered livelihoods, and a devastating economic nosedive. What began as an age-old chieftaincy contest between the Kusasis and Mamprusis has transformed into a full-blown humanitarian and economic catastrophe. The conflict has claimed over a thousand lives, displaced thousands more, and suffocated every sector that once kept the eastern corridor alive.
The once-vibrant commercial capital of the Upper East Region now resembles a ghost town. Commerce has been drowned out by sporadic gunshots. Banks and corporate institutions—symbols of stability—have fled, leaving traders dejected and broken through no fault of their own. They are simply victims of a storm they never summoned; innocent candles flickering in a violent wind.
Women and children—drivers of the local economy—remain the worst hit. Transport terminals are deserted, and markets that once bustled now operate under fear, if at all.
A Region Under Lockdown: A Dying Local Economy
The economy of Bawku and Binduri is on life support, surviving solely on the benevolence of God. Curfews have become a way of life. Education, business, agriculture, health, and transport sectors have all suffered colossal decline.
During my visit to the two districts, traders—especially women—shared heartbreaking stories of losses, lockdowns, and constant danger. Many described days spent weeping indoors, trapped not only by imposed curfews but by relentless fear.
“The conflict has rendered us economically handicapped,” said Patience Andrews, a trader and seamstress at the Bazua market.
“People cannot come to us; we cannot go to them. We live in Binduri, yet we cannot access the market. Apart from the curfew, we have imposed our own lockdown because of the broad-daylight attacks.”
Another trader, Salima Adams Abila, described how restrictions left her jobless, pushing many families deeper into poverty.
All banks and financial institutions have withdrawn—GCB, ADB, SSNIT, and others. Their absence has crippled savings, lending, business capital, and government revenue. The private sector stands on the brink of collapse.
Transport services have not been spared. At the once-busy Bawku lorry station, only a few operators remain. Many stopped work due to fear and unpredictable attacks. Those who still risk travelling the highways often drive under military escort, having witnessed passengers shot dead during journeys.
The United Vehicle Operators and Traders in Bawku have repeatedly cried for protection along the Bolgatanga–Bawku–Pulmakom stretch.
“Since 2021, this conflict has evolved into a major economic and public-safety crisis,” said Mr Seidu Abubakar, Secretary of the Bawku Municipal GPRTU.
“Armed groups have mounted roadblocks, diverted travellers, and attacked vehicles. Businesses have shut down.”
Residents are exhausted. Both factions now understand that they lit the fire whose smoke blinds them. They carved a path of sharp stones and must now walk barefoot on it.
Hope, however, rests on the conclusion of the mediation process led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on November 30 and December 1.
Farmers Trapped Between Bullets and Poverty
Binduri—once a thriving dry-season farming hub—now bears fields of sorrow. Many farmers have abandoned their farmlands. The Upper East Regional Director of Agriculture, Fuseini Zakaria, fears a disastrous dry season.
“I have withdrawn all my Agricultural Extension Officers from Bawku,” he revealed.
He recounted how an extension officer was killed by a stray bullet in Binduri.
With security restrictions and a ban on motorbike riding, farmers struggle to access their farms or markets. The result is food insecurity, rotting produce, rising poverty, and psychological distress.
“We farm with fear,” said Julius Ayammah, a Binduri farmer.
“You don’t know who might approach with a gun. We may harvest very little this season.”
Livestock theft has surged. Produce that once filled markets in Bazua, Atuba, Avondago, and Bawku now rots in villages.
Women and Children: The Most Afflicted
Women and children—who bear no responsibility for the conflict—are paying the highest price.
A police officer formerly with the Bawku Divisional Command recounted:
“I have taken the corpses of not fewer than 216 women and children. And that is only what I know.”
Women who once dominated Bawku’s economy now sit hopeless, their livelihoods snatched away. Children have grown up knowing only gunfire. Schools have been deserted. Teachers fear reporting to work; parents fear sending their children.
Mrs Alima Awini, a Binduri businesswoman now displaced in Tamale, said:
“I am finding it difficult to adjust. My business is disrupted. People here don’t know me. It will take years to get customers.”
More than 200 BECE candidates fled Binduri before the 2025 exams. Many displaced families now sleep at lorry stations in Accra and Kumasi.
Education and Health Systems in Collapse
Health centres have shut down. Pregnant women miss antenatal visits. Many schools in Binduri have been closed since May 2025.
According to Gloria Afeafa Afua Kwakuyi, the Binduri District Director of Education:
“Continuous attacks forced the closure of five schools with over 1,000 learners.”
Some children relocated to other districts; others remained at home out of fear.
The Binduri District Director of Health Services, Awini Issaka, revealed the closure of two key facilities—the Binduri Health Centre (now used as temporary accommodation for Ghana Armed Forces officers) and the Gumyoko CHPS Compound, abandoned after residents fled following deadly attacks.
Maternal deaths are rising.
“In two months, we recorded two maternal deaths—something unheard of in recent years,” he said.
With Traditional Birth Attendants now handling many labour cases, complications often go unmanaged. Children under five suffer malnutrition as vaccination and health outreach activities stop.
Peter Adams Alhassan, leader of the Concerned Elders of Binduri, has repeatedly called for permanent military and police posts in the district.
Institutions Under Siege: When Justice Goes Silent
Even the justice system was crippled at the height of the conflict. In 2024, former Chief Justice Her Ladyship Justice Gertrude Torkonoo ordered courts in Bolgatanga, Zebilla, Garu, Zuarungu, and Bongo to suspend operations due to escalating danger. Cases stalled. Suspects were left unheard. Justice froze.
Lawyers, registrars, and litigants risked death travelling to court. After petitions, only four courts—three in Bolgatanga and the Bongo Magistrate Court—were reopened.
For senior lawyer Amoak Afoko, the closures were unfortunate but necessary.
“In such a volatile environment, who is safe? The judge? The lawyer? The accused? Closing the courts was the lesser of two evils.”
The Upper East Regional Peace Council, led by Alhaji Sumaila Issaka, acknowledges that the conflict has exceeded local mediation. Entrenched positions, historical grievances, and new layers of violence have deepened the crisis. Yet, there is still hope that national intervention can restore peace.
Journalists Under Attack: When Truth Becomes a Target
Journalists in Bawku and Binduri have been attacked for reporting on the conflict. George Awagalsi, Manager of Maxx Empire FM, was attacked; his family members were killed. He survived gunshot wounds. Neutrality no longer guarantees safety.
Nurudeen Gumah, Manager of Gumah FM, condemned the attacks, stating that silencing the media is an attack on democracy.
The Bawku-Binduri crisis is a humanitarian and economic disaster demanding urgent national attention.
Conclusion
The Asantehene’s ongoing mediation efforts offer renewed hope for peace. The people of Bawku and Binduri deserve peace. Farmers deserve access to markets. Traders deserve customers. Schoolchildren deserve gunfire-free learning. The land—once the pride of the Upper East Region—deserves to breathe again.
My plea to the good people of Bawku is simple:
Let the guns fall silent. Let the verdict be honoured. Let peace triumph over pride. The journey to recovery begins with one courageous decision—choosing peace over vengeance. Let sleeping dogs lie.
The writer is a journalist.
Email: francisdabre1987@gmail.com
BY FRANCIS DABRE DABANG
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