Bawku Conflict: We’re Making Gradual Progress – Asantehene

The mediation process led by the Occupant of the Golden Stool, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, regarding the dispute over Bawku town is progressing gradually.

Otumfuo publicly spoke about the progress of the crucial role he is playing for the first time on Friday when the Education Minister, Hon. Haruna Iddrisu, during his visit to the Manhyia Palace, implored him to leverage his adept arbitration skills and diplomacy to bring the protracted conflict to a peaceful resolution.

Referencing the Dagbon conflict, he pleaded, “If we don’t give it the necessary attention to resolve it once and for all, it will be dire in the future.”

In response, the Asantehene disclosed that he has engaged some key stakeholders in the dispute as a first step.

During the engagement, he said, he urged them to call their members to order and observe a ceasefire to allow the resolution process to take full effect.

“I’ve engaged Bawku Naba, Nayiri, the Busangas, Moses, and all other groups with an interest in supporting the factions. I asked them to withdraw all support. I’ve asked them to tell their members to put away their guns because the issue is being addressed.”

Otumfuo mentioned that he will have further engagement with the Nayiri over other outstanding issues before determining who holds the right to enskin a chief for Bawku.

“I was told a chief has been enskinned, but I have instructed that all such actions be annulled for the arbitration process to take full effect.”

In summary, Otumfuo indicated that the process has been gradual.

“We are now going to determine who owns Bawku.”

Conflict

The protracted chieftaincy conflict between the Mamprusis and the Kusasis is fuelled by the factions’ imposition of their legitimacy over Bawku town.

According to Rev. Professor John Zumah, the Executive Director of the Sanneh Institute and Visiting Professor at Yale University, the issue is not so much about who the legitimate Bawku Naba is currently, but about whose traditional homeland Bawku is.

The conflict has claimed many lives and caused millions of cedis in damages.

The Africa Report states that 20 people died between December 2022 and February 2023 as a result of the conflict.

A committee was set up to investigate the issues, and the Supreme Court of Ghana has ruled on the case, but all these attempts have proven futile in settling the dispute.

Following the Asantehene’s resolution of the 16-year-old Dagbon chieftaincy dispute, stakeholders have called on the government to reach out to the King for a resolution of the Bawku dispute.

Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini