The Upper East Regional Minister, Akamugri Donatus Atanga, on Monday, March 10, hosted a delegation from the Presbyterian Health Services to discuss pressing security concerns that have delayed the reopening of the Bawku Nursing Training College.
The meeting, held at the Regional Coordinating Council in Bolgatanga, was attended by senior officials from Presbyterian Health Services.
Leading the delegation from the Presbyterian Health Services was Reverend James Kwame Awuni, who expressed deep concern over the continued closure of the nursing college.
Rev. Awuni underscored the urgent need for the institution to resume operations, as the protracted shutdown has had significant implications for both students and the healthcare sector in the region.
The Bawku Nursing Training College was closed due to the heightened ethnic tensions in Bawku.
The long-standing conflict between the Kusasi and Mamprusi ethnic groups has created an unstable security situation, making it unsafe for students and faculty to access the main campus. As a result, Kusasi students have been forced to attend lectures at a temporary satellite campus located within the premises of the Bawku Senior High School.
The situation has posed serious logistical challenges, as transporting food, medical supplies, and learning materials to the satellite site has often required military escorts.
Reverend Awuni lamented that these difficulties have hampered the quality of education and created unnecessary hardship for students and staff.
Both the Kusasi and Mamprusi factions have resisted proposals to permanently relocate the nursing college to Bolgatanga.
The Regional Minister welcomed the consensus to keep the nursing college in Bawku and recognised its strategic importance in fostering dialogue and peace between the warring factions.
Mr. Akamugri described the reopening of the college as a potential “bargaining chip” that could contribute to stabilising the area, provided that adequate security measures were put in place.
The minister assured the delegation that the issue would be brought before the Regional Security Council (REGSEC), which he chairs, for further deliberation.
He also pledged to collaborate with the Bawku Municipal Security Council (MUSEC) to develop a comprehensive security framework that would allow students and faculty to return safely.
“All necessary security arrangements will be prioritised,” Minister Atanga stated. However, he advised all parties to exercise patience while the government finalises measures to prevent any resurgence of violence that could jeopardise the reopening efforts.
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