Bryan Files Emergency Motion In Parliament … To Confront National Security Crisis In Bawku

The Member of Parliament for Abetifi, Dr Bryan Acheampong, has filed an emergency motion in Parliament, calling for urgent action to address what he describes as a national security crisis, with particular focus on the prolonged conflict in Bawku.

The motion, filed under Parliament’s Standing Orders 110 to 113, is expected to trigger a half hour Debate on the floor of the House, if admitted by the Speaker.

It demands immediate and accountable intervention from state authorities, citing recent events in Bawku as evidence of a broader failure in the country’s internal security architecture.

“This is not business as usual. It is Parliament’s responsibility to direct national attention where the silence has become dangerous,” Dr Bryan Acheampong stated.

The move comes at a time of renewed violence in the Upper East town of Bawku, where ethnic tensions have escalated into deadly clashes, forcing the closure of schools and displacing hundreds of residents.

Despite curfews and repeated security deployments, gunfire continues to thunder through the area. In recent weeks, several people have been reported killed, while others, including security officers, have sustained injuries.

Local officials say many families have fled to neighbouring districts, with some students writing their exams under military protection.

Civil society groups have raised concerns about the psychological toll on students of prolonged disruption to education and economic activity in the area.

Dr. Bryan Acheampong, who serves as the Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Committee on Security and Intelligence, insists Parliament can no longer afford to remain a passive observer. His motion seeks to mobilise legislative authority behind coordinated action that goes beyond short-term deployments.

“We are not only dealing with a breakdown of law and order. We are watching entire communities lose faith in the Republic,” he said adding “Parliament cannot be a bystander to this.”

The motion is also expected to call for the formal declaration of a national security emergency in affected areas, as well as the development of specific protocols to protect educational institutions and vulnerable communities.

While Parliament has often deferred to the Executive on matters of national security, Dr Bryan Acheampong’s initiative is seen as a significant shift toward asserting proactive legislative oversight. It places the legislature at the centre of a conversation long dominated by security agencies and regional peace councils.

Although no date has been set for the debate, early indications suggest that the motion has bipartisan appeal. Some MPs, including members of the Defence and Interior Committee, have privately expressed support, describing the proposal as “timely” and “necessary.”

The Member of Parliament for Abetifi, a four-term legislator, previously served as Minister of State at both the Ministry of the Interior and the Ministry of National Security.

He was instrumental in the rollout of national surveillance systems under the Alpha Project, a nationwide initiative to enhance crime detection.

In recent years, he has focused attention on the growing gap between security policy and implementation, an issue that, according to him, has become more urgent in the face of continued instability in areas like Bawku.

The Speaker of Parliament is expected to make a ruling on the admissibility of the motion in the coming days. Should it be approved, it would mark one of the rare occasions where Parliament has directly engaged in shaping security strategy through emergency debate.

As tensions continue to simmer in Bawku and other parts of the country, Dr Bryan Acheampong’s motion could become a defining moment in how Ghana addresses its internal security challenges, placing human lives and community stability at the heart of Parliamentary discourse.

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