The Manhyia Palace has officially scheduled April 28 to May 1, 2025, for the resumption of mediation talks led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, aimed at resolving the protracted Bawku conflict.

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In a press release dated April 15, the Palace confirmed that the dialogue will take place in Kumasi at the Manhyia Palace and will involve key parties central to the dispute. The effort is expected to bring together traditional leaders, security agencies, and community stakeholders in search of a sustainable solution.

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The announcement comes in the wake of comments by former President John Dramani Mahama, who hinted at the upcoming talks during a graduation ceremony at the Ghana Military Academy on April 11.

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He also gave assurance that the peace dialogue being facilitated by Otumfuo would resume this week.

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Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who has long been revered for his peacemaking efforts, has urged all factions in the Bawku crisis to approach the process with openness and a genuine desire for peace.

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The renewed mediation drive follows a resurgence of violence in Bawku. The most recent incident claimed the life of a young resident, Fuseini Iddrisu, during a confrontation between security forces and local residents.

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According to the Ghana Police Service, five others—including a police officer and an immigration official—sustained gunshot injuries and are undergoing treatment at health facilities. The violence also resulted in extensive property damage, including the destruction of two police vehicles, a rented police residence in Binduri, and private homes belonging to security personnel.

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In a move to assess the deteriorating security situation, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno, led a top-level delegation of operational, investigative, and intelligence officers to Bawku in the Upper East Region.

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The decades-old Bawku conflict stems from an entrenched ethnic and chieftaincy dispute between the Mamprusi and Kusasi ethnic groups. Though periods of calm have been recorded, recent developments—including the controversial return of Alhaji Seidu Abagre, a rival chief installed by the Nayiri in Nalerigu—have renewed tensions.

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Abagre’s return to Bawku in November 2024 came after a Kumasi High Court overturned a previous arrest warrant issued against him, reigniting hostilities and deepening divisions.

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As Otumfuo prepares to host the high-stakes mediation, expectations are high that his leadership could pave the way for meaningful dialogue and long-term peace in the troubled municipality.

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