The Ghana Armed Forces have come under fire from the Ghana Catholic Bishops' Conference for the recent chaos they have inflicted on the nation's citizens.
At the conclusion of its annual plenary assembly, which took place in Sunyani, the Bono Region, from November 6–18, 2023, the Bishops' Conference urged for peace between the military and citizens, citing brutalities in Nkwanta in the Oti Region and Garu in the Upper East Region.
The Bishops urged the military to make sure that, rather than using the customary violent force that is often observed in its approach, it takes a more professional approach to reestablishing peace wherever in the nation.
"We lament the recent events in Nkwanta, in the Oti Region, and Bawku, in the Upper East Region, which resulted in the deaths of some individuals and the destruction of numerous others' houses. We demand that all parties to the current disputes put down their weapons and strive for rapprochement and peace.
"We wish to call on the military to ensure that their approach to restoring security and peace has a more professional touch and not the use of brutal force in the course of their work. We denounce the recent military brutalities in Garu and its environs in the Upper East Region."
"Let's all pray for peace to prevail in these conflict-ridden regions of Ghana. The Bishops concluded by saying, "We pray for peace in the Sahel Region, Israel, Palestine, Ukraine, Russia, and other conflict places in the world.
Context
In recent years, there have been multiple reports of military cruelty in various sections of the nation.
On October 29, early in the morning, there were reports that members of the Ghanaian armed forces had invaded Garu in retaliation for attacks on a few National Security operatives on October 24.
Over fifty people were hospitalized and numerous residents suffered varying degrees of injury as a result of the military raid, according to reports.
In a statement, the National Security Ministry refuted the accusations and clarified that it was a cooperative effort to confiscate firearms utilized in the October 24 incident in Garu by a vigilante group.
