Asantehene to present Bawku peace mediation report to President Mahama today

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, is expected to submit a comprehensive report on the Bawku peace mediation process to President John Dramani Mahama today, 16 December, as part of ongoing efforts to achieve lasting stability in the area.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was appointed earlier in 2025 by President Mahama to lead mediation aimed at resolving the protracted chieftaincy conflict that has troubled the Bawku Municipality for decades. The dispute has remained a major source of insecurity in the Upper East Region and has repeatedly disrupted social and economic life in the area.

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The mediation process began in April 2025, with the Asantehene holding separate consultations with leaders and representatives of the opposing factions to establish trust and create a foundation for dialogue. Although the talks experienced a brief suspension, they resumed in May and have since contributed to a reduction in tensions, resulting in a period of relative calm in the previously volatile municipality.

The report to be presented to the President is expected to outline the progress achieved so far, identify outstanding challenges, and propose recommendations to guide the next phase of government action towards securing sustainable peace in Bawku.

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Meanwhile, the Ghana Armed Forces have confirmed that security has been reinforced in the area to maintain law and order while mediation efforts continue.

In a related development, the Minister for the Interior, acting on the advice of the National Security Council and through an Executive Instrument, has renewed the curfew for Bawku Municipality and surrounding communities from 8:00 pm to 5:00 am, effective Monday, 15 December 2025.

The government has appealed to chiefs, elders, opinion leaders, youth and residents to exercise restraint and adopt non-violent approaches in addressing grievances. A total ban remains in force on the possession of arms, ammunition and offensive weapons, with offenders facing arrest and prosecution.

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The Bawku conflict is a long-standing chieftaincy and ethnic dispute involving the indigenous Kusasi and the settler Mamprusi communities in and around the Bawku Municipality of the Upper East Region, close to Ghana’s border with Burkina Faso. The conflict has deep historical roots and has claimed several lives over the years.