President John Mahama, according to myjoyonline.com report, is set to visit the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, this weekend, as part of his ongoing mediation efforts to secure lasting peace in Bawku, in the Upper East region.
It would be recalled that President Mahama undertook a critical peace-building mission to Bawku and Nalerigu on Tuesday, this week.
During his visit to the overlord of the Mamprugu Kingdom, Naa BohaguMahami Abdulai Sheriga II, which was part of his Bawku visit, President Mahama reiterated his government’s dedication to prioritising peace.
“I just came to appeal to him and his subjects to exercise restraint and patience and trust that we will resolve this matter amicably. So, I’m just appealing to my father that they should exercise patience while I set up the government,” he said.
He also recalled his last briefing with former President Akufo-Addo just before he ended his tenure, highlighting some mediation efforts that were undertaken with regards to the conflict. The Chronicle commends President Mahama for the wise decision he has taken to involve some of our prominent chiefs to resolve the conflict.
Indeed, a similar decision taken by Former President Akufo-Addo led to the successful resolution of the Dagbon conflict, which was a pain in the neck of the country. In our opinion, the Bawku conflict cannot be resolved through the interventions being made by the security agencies. Indeed, if the use of the military and police can resolve the issue, Ghanaians will not today be talking about the Bawku conflict.
The role of the police and the military is to protect life and property – they cannot get to the core of the matter to resolve it. This means that the government has to use the chiefs themselves to help settle the lingering dispute. The Bawku conflict is a serious security threat to our dear nation because bandits operating in the Sahel region can take advantage of the situation to launch an attack against Ghana.
Already, there are conflicting reports that terrorists operating in Burkina Faso have been visiting Ghana, mainly in the Upper East and Upper West regions. Whether this allegation is true or not, it is enough warning that should nudge our authorities to take decisive action that will resolve the Bawku conflict where Mamprusis and Kussasis – the two ethnic groups involved in the conflict -seem to have taken entrenched positions.
Terrorists, in most of the cases, operate in countries that are not stable. Bawku will, therefore, be a fertile ground for them to strike in Ghana if the conflict persists. This is the reason why The Chronicle is commending President Mahama for the well thought through decision he has personally taken to resolve the conflict.
President Akufo-Addo, no matter his flaws, will be remembered by generations yet unborn for supervising the peaceful resolution of the Dagbon conflict.
President Mahama must also work hard to settle the Bawku conflict so that when he leaves office, Ghanaians will remember him for bringing peace to Bawku and Ghana as a whole.
It is our hope that his government, after necessary consultation, will provide the resources that would enable Otumfuo and his team of chiefs to delve into the Bawku matter and peacefully resolve it.
