News

COAS Pays Operational Visit to Bawku

• 24 Apr
• Admin

The Chief of the Army Staff (COAS) Major General Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu on Wednesday 23 April 2025 paid an operational visit to the Joint Task Force (JTF) in Bawku.

The COAS as part of his visit interacted with troops of Joint Task Force deployed at the various detachments in Bawku. He commended the troops for their professionalism and swift responses towards the crisis in Bawku.

He further conveyed Military High Command’s commendation to all ranks for the professionalism in dealing with the situation in Bawku and advised them to remain neutral in the discharge of their duties. He encouraged them to continue to give off their best in restoring calm and peace in Bawku and the Upper East Region as a whole.  

The visit saw the COAS paying courtesy call on the Bawku Naaba and his council of elders. During his visit to the palace, he expressed his appreciation to the Bawku Naaba for his continuous support and collaborative effort to help in maintaining law and order in Bawku and its environs. He urged him to continue to cooperate with the Military in order to create an environment conducive to peace and development.

He also stated that, some locations had been identified as hotspots in Bawku and assured him that, security would be intensified to restore calm in such areas. The COAS also used the opportunity to express his sympathy and condolences to those who have been affected in one way or the other in the Bawku conflict.   

 The Bawku Naaba reiterated the sacrifices made by the military to restore calm and stability in Bawku and its environs and further noted that security is a cooperative effort involving all security services, the government and the general citizenry.

He commended the Ghana Armed Forces for the recent Cordon and Search operation conducted by personnel of JTF and 11 Mechanised Battalion and requested for such operations to be carried out often to seize and arrest civilian populace in possession of arms and ammunitions.

In a press conference held at Bazua Camp, Major General Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu condemned the behavior of the youth in Bawku and appealed to the Bawku Naaba and his elders to impress on them to exercise restraint and join hands with the security agencies to ensure peace in Bawku.

 He also mentioned that, the Ghana Armed Forces in collaboration with the other security agencies would continue to remain steadfast in their commitment to restoring peace and security to Bawku.

He applauded the troops and personnel of other security agencies for their sacrifices in ensuring a peaceful environment in the area and urged them to continue discharging their duties with utmost dedication and professionalism.

Present during the visit were the General Officer Commanding (GOC), Northern Command, Brig Gen Frank Nartey Tei, Commander Joint Task Force, Col Rosslyn Foli Atiogbe, as well as Staff Officers from the Army Headquarters and Headquarters Northern Command.