The Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mr Stephen Asamoah Boateng, has blamed the escalation of the Bawku conflict on multiple factors among residents in the area.
These factors, he said, include mistrust, blame game, political sides and conspiracy among the people. Although the conflict started years ago, the Minister linked its resurgence to the politicization of chieftaincy in the region by the two major parties, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC). This, he said, has made it challenging to achieve peace.
“I will implore all sides to stop the conspiracy theories going around and the blame games and keep calm and allow the government to deal with the security and chieftaincy issues, therefore, no one should play politics with this sensitive matter and I will continue to engage my colleagues in the political space from all sides to work with the government to resolve the current problems and work towards lasting peace in the area,” he stated.
Addressing the media on Tuesday, October 29, the minister emphasized the government’s commitment to maintaining peace in Bawku, which has been plagued by ongoing violence and unrest, particularly due to unresolved chieftaincy and ethnic disputes.
The Minister’s message comes amidst heightened security concerns in the area, following a tragic incident on Sunday, October 27, when gunmen attacked travellers along the Bolgatanga-Tamale highway near Gbimsi, a community close to Walewale.
He mentioned that 16 people have been killed when the conflict erupted between the two groups recently.
Currently, the Minister said, there is peace and security in the area as the police service and army forces have been deployed to prevent any further violence.
He emphasized that violence and provocation would only exacerbate the situation and hinder efforts to restore order.
Mr Boateng reiterated that understanding among the various factions is vital to moving forward and achieving harmony in Bawku.
Meanwhile, a curfew has been imposed on the people of Bawku to prevent violence and foster reconciliation between the Manbrugu and Kusasi communities.
With a curfew in place, businesses in the areas are required to close down effectively cutting operational hours, which will impact sectors reliant on trading, such as retailers.
Business owners whose products and services require daily patronage will be affected, creating a loss of revenue, jobs and losses in investments.
Also, transportation and logistics will also be constrained by the conflict, as checkpoints and security restrictions affect the movement of goods, especially for traders who transport through the area into neighbouring countries like Burkina Faso.
Additionally, administrative functions in the region will be slowed as local government offices and public services have to close down.
Background of The Dispute
The conflict in Bawku between Kusasi and Mamprusi, dating back to 1931, revolves around the occupancy of the Bawku skin, which represents chiefly authority in the Bawku traditional area. As a result of a colonial policy arrangement, the Bawku Chief holds paramountcy over Kusasi, Mamprusi, and other local chiefs.
This led to contention between the Kusasi and Mamprusi over who rightfully occupies the position of paramount chief. The Kusasis claim their indigenous status in the Bawku traditional area predating other ethnic groups. While the Mamprusis assert their historical presence in Bawku since the 17th century and claim to be the initiators of chieftaincy in the region.
In 1957, tensions began to escalate between the Mamprusis and Kusasis over the Bawku chieftaincy, which led to the installation of two separate chiefs for the same position.
Consequently, disturbances ensued, with conflict parties taking entrenched positions and defending their claims.
