Businesses and investors in the conflict-hit Bawku enclave may soon see a long-awaited return to stability as Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, has concluded his mediation efforts in the protracted Bawku chieftaincy crisis.
After years of violence, recurring curfews, and disrupted commercial activity, the conclusion of Otumfuo’s intervention has raised optimism for an economic revival in one of Ghana’s most commercially strategic border corridors.
After months of separate talks, the Asantehene on Monday welcomed the rival factions to the Manhyia Palace Jubilee Hall, giving the Mamprusi and Kusasi sides a rare chance to meet face-to-face and speak directly to each other.
Chief Tarana John Wuni Grumah, representing Naa Bohugu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, led the Mamprusi delegation. In contrast, Naba Tambis Baalug, Paramount Chief of Pusiga, led the delegation on behalf of the Bawku Naaba, Zugraan Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, and the Kusasi people. The meeting included chiefs, lawyers, academics, and youth leaders from both sides, with Cletus Avoka speaking for the Kusasi delegation and Dr. Issah for the Mamprusi side.
According to a statement issued by Kofi Badu, Chief of Staff at the Manhyia Palace, the session was held in a “cordial atmosphere,” adding that “both sides emphasised the fact that they are one people who have no reason to be at war with each other.”
The Asantehene, after months of perusing arguments and historical claims separately, brought the parties together “in a final effort to explore a pathway to lasting resolution of the issues that have persistently undermined the peace in the Bawku traditional area.”
For residents and businesses, hope has been in short supply. Years of intermittent violence plunged the area into economic stagnation, with trade routes disrupted, agricultural supply chains fractured, hospitality businesses shuttered, and investor confidence weakened. Curfews, sometimes imposed for months at a stretch, severely limited business operating hours, cross-border commerce, and movement of goods. Several companies postponed investment plans, citing insecurity and unpredictability.
But Monday’s developments have revived cautious optimism across the Upper East Region.
A peaceful outcome could reopen the area to commercial activity, restore investor interest, and revive Bawku’s traditional role as a trading hub linking Ghana, Burkina Faso, Togo, and Niger.
In his closing remarks, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II reminded both sides of their shared future: “Whatever the outcome of the mediation, they would have to live together as brothers and sisters.” He further urged leaders on both sides “to start preparing the minds of their supporters to be prepared to put an end permanently to violence and disorder in their communities.”
The Asantehene also announced that he will, in the coming days, submit his report and recommendations to President John Dramani Mahama, expressing hope that the President “would act expeditiously and convene a formal meeting of all interested parties to announce the outcome of the mediation mission.”
