Bawku in the Upper East Region has gone 150 days without gunfire, Interior Minister Mubarak Mohammed Muntaka said on Monday, October 12, 2026, as he declared that Ghana is “much safer” today than it was in 2025.
Speaking on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show, the minister said the number of curfews in force across the country has fallen to three, down from about 11 at the start of 2025.
He linked the improvement to a mix of security operations, mediation and peacebuilding, including work by the National Peace Council in conflict-affected communities.
The minister also warned that Ghana still faces serious threats from ethnic conflicts, land disputes, illicit drugs and more than 300 unapproved border crossing points.
Bawku goes 150 days without gunshots
“150 days, no gunshots,” Mr Muntaka said, describing the period of calm as a sign that security in Bawku has improved.
He said the violence in 2025 had spread beyond Bawku, with retaliatory attacks in Binduri, Nalerigu and Walewale, and attacks on buses on highways. He added that the violence had even affected secondary school students.
Bawku curfew eased to 10pm–5am
The curfew in Bawku and its environs now runs from 10pm to 5am. The minister recalled that restrictions earlier ran from 6pm to 6am, and at one point from 4pm to 6am.
“When the curfew is 10 to 5, it tells you that it has largely eased,” he said.
According to Graphic Online, the 10pm–5am curfew was set in March 2026, and the Interior Ministry later eased the motorbike ban for all residents from August 25, 2026, while keeping a total ban on carrying arms, ammunition and offensive weapons.
Bawku motorbike ban relaxed after five years
Residents can now ride motorbikes between 6am and 6pm. “They were not riding motorbikes for almost five years,” Mr Muntaka said.
Women were first allowed back on motorbikes in July 2026, before the easing was extended to everyone in late August. The Bawku restrictions are part of the security measures announced by the Ministry of the Interior.
Ghana curfews fall from 11 to three
The minister gave figures showing a steady decline in curfews nationwide:
- Start of 2025: about 11 curfews
- End of 2025: about nine curfews
- October 2026: three curfews
- Bawku curfew: from 6pm–6am (and at one point 4pm–6am) to 10pm–5am
- Bawku motorbike riding: banned for about five years, now allowed 6am–6pm
“As we speak now, we have only three more curfews,” he said. “I can assure you that we are safer today than we were when we took over power.”
Border security: 48 approved routes, over 300 illegal crossings
Mr Muntaka said Ghana has 48 legitimate entry points but more than 300 unapproved crossing points, which he described as a major security challenge.
He called for closer cooperation with neighbouring countries. “You have to try and share intelligence; you have to work together,” he said.
Cannabis traffickers using ambulances and bullion vans
The minister also alleged that suspected cannabis traffickers have used ambulances and bullion vans to move the drug. He said officers who stopped some ambulances found cannabis instead of patients.
“We are dealing with it, we are destroying the farms, we are arresting,” he said.
What the Bawku calm means for residents
For Bawku residents, the longer curfew-free hours and the return of motorbikes mean more time for trading, farming and transport, which depend heavily on motorbikes in the area.
The calm also supports recovery plans for the area, including the government’s GH¢1bn Bawku Revitalisation Fund announced in August.
However, the minister stressed that crime remains a challenge and the remaining restrictions are still in force.
What happens next for the Bawku curfew
Mr Muntaka said authorities are reviewing the remaining restrictions in Bawku. “Very soon, we may even lift it completely,” he said.
Until a new directive is issued, the 10pm–5am curfew, the 6am–6pm motorbike window and the ban on carrying weapons remain in place.
Key details at a glance
- Bawku has gone 150 days without gunfire, according to the Interior Minister.
- Bawku curfew: 10pm to 5am.
- Motorbike riding allowed in Bawku from 6am to 6pm.
- Curfews in Ghana have fallen from about 11 (early 2025) to three.
- Ghana has 48 approved entry points and over 300 illegal crossing points.
- Government says the Bawku curfew could be lifted “very soon”.
- Minister spoke on Joy FM’s Super Morning Show on October 12, 2026.
FAQs
Is there still a curfew in Bawku?
Yes. The Bawku curfew currently runs from 10pm to 5am, though the Interior Minister says it may be lifted completely soon.
Can people ride motorbikes in Bawku now?
Yes. Residents can ride motorbikes between 6am and 6pm, after a ban that lasted about five years.
How many curfews are there in Ghana in 2026?
According to Interior Minister Muntaka, Ghana now has only three curfews, down from about 11 at the start of 2025.
Bawku’s 150 days without gunfire and the drop in nationwide curfews to three mark a clear easing of Ghana’s internal security situation, but the Interior Minister says border gaps, drug trafficking and land and ethnic disputes still demand attention as government weighs lifting the remaining Bawku restrictions.
