Ashanti region on edge as Bawku conflict spills over – Vincent Assafuah
Member of Parliament for Old Tafo, Vincent Ekow Assafuah, has voiced serious concerns over growing insecurity in the Ashanti Region, warning that escalating violence, some of it linked to the protracted Bawku conflict, is spreading fear among residents.
In a recent interview, Mr. Assafuah described a disturbing pattern of violent incidents, including killings and unexplained disappearances, many of which he said have gone unreported in the media.
He pointed to several recent events as evidence of the deteriorating security climate.
One such incident was the tragic death of a six-year-old girl whose body was found inside a parked vehicle at Suame Market days after she was reported missing.
“This happened very close to my constituency, and yet it barely made headlines. There are many such cases the public isn’t even aware of,” he noted.
The MP also cited a recent killing in nearby Asawase, where an individual was shot in broad daylight.
Mr. Assafuah linked the rising tension to the ethnic conflict in Bawku, warning that its effects are beginning to spill into the Ashanti Region, particularly in Kumasi and its environs.
“The fear among residents isn’t imagined. It’s real and it’s being driven in part by the ripple effects of the Bawku conflict. Many people from the affected areas live here, and we are now seeing the consequences,” he explained.
He also recalled the killing of Peggy Ayelbassah, an aspiring nurse who was gunned down near Dinase, close to the Kwabre North District, while en route to Salaga for a nursing college interview.
Adding to these concerns, Mr. Assafuah mentioned the recent assassination of a Kusasi chief in Asawase—a killing he believes is directly connected to the Bawku chieftaincy conflict.
“This is no longer a distant problem. It’s here. It’s affecting us in real time,” he said.
In response, the Ashanti Regional Security Council (REGSEC) has introduced emergency measures, including a ban on motorcyclists wearing smocks, a garment often associated with northern ethnic groups and restrictions on motorcycle movement after 7:00 p.m. in Asawase.
These steps aim to curb further violence and restore calm, but the MP insists that stronger, more coordinated action is urgently needed to protect lives and maintain public order.