Politicians must stay out of Bawku conflict — Ibrahim Adjei

Former Secretary at the Office of ex-President Nana Akufo-Addo, Ibrahim Adjei, has urged politicians to refrain entirely from involvement in the longstanding Bawku conflict.

He cautioned that political interference is hampering efforts to achieve lasting peace in the area.

Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Monday, December 22, Adjei highlighted that partisan interests have deepened tensions in the conflict-prone enclave, making resolution increasingly challenging. He stressed that a neutral approach by political actors is crucial for peacebuilding.

“If a politician enters the space pushing a political agenda, it does not help the people of Bawku,” he said. Adjei explained that local communities are better positioned to articulate their interests in the conflict, while politicians should serve strictly as impartial facilitators during mediation efforts.

He further argued that removing political motivations from the process would create a more conducive environment for credible mediation and the emergence of what he termed “green shoots of lasting peace” in the region.

Adjei’s remarks come amid a spike in violence across parts of the North East Region, raising concerns about the enforcement of security and emergency measures. Reports indicate that four houses were set ablaze in Nalerigu on Saturday night, despite the area being under curfew. This has prompted renewed questions about the effectiveness of security deployments during restricted hours.

The area remain tense, with the Nayiri, Overlord of Mamprugu, formally rejecting a mediation report submitted by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to President John Dramani Mahama. The Nayiri described the report as “procedurally flawed, legally unsustainable, and wholly unacceptable,” signaling potential setbacks in ongoing peace initiatives.

Meanwhile, the Government of Ghana has endorsed the Bawku mediation report by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, and directed the immediate return of the rival chief, Alhaji Seidu Abagre, to Nalerigu under the authority of the Nayiri.

In an official statement released on Wednesday, December 17, and signed by the President’s spokesperson, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the government accepted all recommendations in the report presented a day earlier, affirming the Supreme Court’s position on the rightful Bawku overlord. The statement described the report as providing a “comprehensive, fact-based, and forward-looking roadmap” for lasting peace in the conflict-affected area, while reiterating the legal standing of Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II as the lawful Bawku Naba.