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Undeniably, 2023 was a packed year with a combination of both heartbreaking and exciting events in the Upper East Region.
Whereas the tragic events brought sorrow and pain, the happy moments put smiles on the faces of the people.
For two consecutive years, the unending Bawku conflict continued unabated leading to the death of many residents and injury to several people.
Notable among them was the killing of an immigration officer, Assistant Inspector Philip Motey, and a teacher of Zamse Senior High Technical School in Bolgatanga, Paul Agyemang Konadu, by some unknown gunmen.
Also, on September 21, 2023, some unidentified gunmen killed nine traders made up of six women and three men near the Gbewaa College of Education in Pusiga.
The unknown assailants surfaced from a nearby bush and shot indiscriminately into a police patrol vehicle and two other passenger vehicles, which were being escorted by the police.
Also, an operation by National Security on October 29, 2023, to retrieve illegal weapons from the hands of unauthorised persons left several people injured in Garu and Tempane.
The security personnel were said to be carrying out a swoop on that fateful day to arrest some residents who were alleged to be in possession of some weapons.
During a courtesy call on the Bawkunaba, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, on December 12, 2023, the Vice-President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, expressed optimism for lasting peace and harmony between the feuding factions in the Bawku conflict.
He called for a truce and peaceful co-existence between the two factions, whom he described as “one people”, adding: “As a son of the north, I am very pained by the conflict that we have in Bawku between Kusasis and Mamprusis over chieftaincy”.
Another major incident that hit the region was the outbreak of anthrax disease, which claimed one life and 11 others being infected in the Binduri District.
This was after the individuals consumed the carcasses of cattle that were infected with anthrax. Subsequently, 97 animals died of the disease in 12 out of the 15 districts in the entire region.
In a swift move to contain the further spread of the disease, the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) initially placed a ban on the movement of ruminants within the Bawku enclave, but was later extended to every part of the region.
It was followed by a mass vaccination of all ruminants, which paved the way for the Ministry of Food and Agriculture (MoFA) to lift the ban based on expert advice.
A worrying incident that happened on the education front in the year under review was the dismissal of eight senior high school (SHS) students for insulting President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
The female students who attended Chiana SHS in the Kassena Nankana West District, in a widely circulated video, used vulgar and unprintable words, which were directed at the President.
Later, the affected students in a remorseful video apologised as they did not know what influenced them to engage in such an unruly act to denigrate President Akufo-Addo.
Consequently, President Akufo-Addo intervened compelling the Minister of Education, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum, to direct the Ghana Education Service (GES) to consider an alternative disciplinary action instead of the dismissal.
Also, the Binduri Community Day SHS was temporarily shut down following a protest by students over the lack of food.
On Tuesday, July 11, 2023, some aggrieved students boycotted classes to protest and express their displeasure about the inability of the school’s administration to provide them with one hot meal daily.
The inability of the caterer stationed in the school to cook for the students was due to the non-payment of arrears owed by the government, which made it impossible for her to perform her duties.
Additionally, the St Bernadette’s Technical Institute in Navrongo was shut down following riots by some agitated students.
This was after the management of the school prevented them from engaging in inter-ethnic football games, which they suspected had the tendency to degenerate into conflict.
Following some death threats and attacks at his residence, the Presiding Judge at the Bolgatanga High Court Two, Justice Alexander Graham, fled and vacated his post.
It came two weeks after convicting two persons, the Chief of Baare, Naab Nyakora Mantii, and Richard Sunday Yinbil, who were sent to him by the Paramount Chief of the Talensi Traditional Area, Tongraan Kugbilsong Nanlebegtang, for contempt.
Afterwards, he received several death threats and attacks at his official residence.
Sadly, Justice Graham did not return to adjudicate cases at the High Court Two where he was the presiding judge.
Later, a Justice of the Supreme Court of Ghana, Justice Gabriel Pwamang, led a delegation to call on Tongraan Nanlebegtang and his elders after the incident.
However, he emphasised during the meeting that the gesture by the Judicial Council was not intended to affect the decision of Justice Graham during the contempt case and explanation subsequently by the paramount chief.
Furthermore, the Bolgatanga High Court One, presided over by Justice Charles Adjei Wilson, ordered the removal of two principal officers of the C.K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences for being in office despite reaching the compulsory retirement age of 60.
They were the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Eric Magnus Wilmot, and the Registrar of the university, Dr Vincent A. Ankamah Lomotey.
It was the outcome of a joint suit filed by the plaintiff, Joseph Pwoawuvi Weguri, against the university, the Attorney-General and the two principal officers as first, second, third and fourth defendants.
Last year, a Physician Specialist, Dr Emmanuel Akatibo, and a Critical Care Nurse, Patrick Ayamga Ayariga, at the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital, with support from management, commenced a campaign to rally the general public towards the establishment of a dialysis centre at the hospital.
This was in response to fifteen patients out of 30 with various kidney conditions diagnosed at the hospital established in 1946, who sadly passed away in 2022 due to their inability to travel every week to Tamale and afford treatment at the Tamale Teaching Hospital (TTH).
Through public financial support, the hospital has been able to procure two dialysis machines and other machines with an additional one donated by Asaase Foundation, with work currently ongoing towards operationalising the new centre.
The Ghana Association of Certified Registered Anaesthetists (GACRA) held their 5th Annual Scientific Conference in Bolgatanga during which it came to light that 30 per cent of Certified Registered Anaesthetists (CRAs) had left in search of better conditions abroad.
The President of the association, James Nwinsagra, said it was not only that the figures were worrying, but very hardworking, skilful and experienced professionals had vacated their posts putting undue stress on the few lefts.
