The Government of Ghana has signalled a decisive shift from mediation to enforcement in the long-running Bawku conflict, firmly reasserting Supreme Court-backed chieftaincy legitimacy and warning against any form of parallel authority.
In an official statement issued by the Presidency, government said it had “fully reviewed, carefully deliberated upon, and accepted” the Bawku Conflict Mediation Report presented by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
Crucially, the government reaffirmed that the chieftaincy question in Bawku is settled in law. “Naaba Azoka II is the lawful Bawku Naba,” the statement declared, stressing that “no individual or group is permitted, under any circumstances, to contest his authority or legitimacy.”
The statement moves beyond dialogue by outlining concrete state action. Government confirmed it would “immediately facilitate the safe movement of Alhaji Seidu Abagre to Nalerigu,” in line with recommendations that he assume an alternative traditional role under the Nayiri.
Describing the mediation report as “comprehensive, fact-based and forward-looking,” government said its focus is “exclusively on achieving lasting peace, reconciliation, and stability in Bawku and its surrounding areas,” and not to “apportion blame or confer victory on any party.”
The Presidency also appealed to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to continue providing “distinguished leadership and moral authority” to support reconciliation efforts between the Mamprusi and Kusasi communities, as the state moves to enforce lawful authority and restore calm.
