Bawku needs peace(Junior Graphic May 14-20, 2008 Lead Story)

Worried students of the Bawku Senior High School seem to be thinking about the conflict in the municipality and how best they could make good use of the limited time they have.
Story:Benjamin Xornam Glover, Bawku
Students of the Bawku Senior High School in the Upper East Region have appealed to the feuding factions in the conflict to do all in their power to stop fighting and resort to dialogue to settle their differences. According to the students, the conflict which had raged on for nearly six months was affecting their education.The conflict in Bawku which started on December 31, 2007 forced the government to impose a curfew and deploy more security personnel there to calm the situation.
In addition, President J. A. Kufour, invited the leaders of both sides, the Kusasis and the Mamprusis to the castle in Accra for dialogue but this notwithstanding, peace in the area has been breached on several occasions.
Some of the students told the Junior Graphic that due to the fighting in the town they were unable to concentrate effectively, particularly, at a time that they were writing their final examination.
According to them, when they hear gunshots while at school their attention is drawn from their studies to the safety of family members at home.
Matilda Atanga, the Assistant Girls’ Prefect, has appealed to the Government to send more soldiers to Bawku to help maintain peace in the municipality.
"When my colleagues and I hear gunshots we get frightened. In fact we are unable to study. I lost concentration and can say that it is by the grace of God that I was able to go through my examination.”
The Headmaster, Mr Paul Apanga, however, allayed the fears of parents and explained that though the school was within the curfew zone, the students were safe and sound.
He said even when the students went across the street to fetch water form a borehole; they were not harassed by the security personnel.
"We have advised the students not to go beyond the boreholes and so far they have all complied", Mr Apanga said.
He commended the Bawku Municipal Security Committee for the tremendous support it has given to the school adding that "They have ensured that the school is well monitored both day and night to ensure that all goes well with everyone,” he added.