Security expert Richard Kumadoe has strongly criticised Ghana’s two main political parties, accusing them of complicity in politicising the protracted Bawku conflict.
Speaking to ABC News GH, Kumadoe stated that both the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) have, over the years, used the conflict for political leverage rather than advancing meaningful solutions to end the violence.
According to him, this continued politicisation has only worsened the situation, denying the people of Bawku long-term peace and development.
“The NPP militarized everything, so they can’t act as if…” he remarked, pointing to the current administration’s approach as reflective of a broader pattern of political interference and short-term crisis management.
Kumadoe warned that such partisan posturing has historically undermined neutral peacebuilding efforts, often leading to the failure of state-led interventions in the area.
In his analysis, the security analyst also questioned the government’s historical framing of the Bawku conflict, noting that it has been wrongly categorized for decades.
He argued that by oversimplifying it as a conventional chieftaincy dispute, successive governments have implemented inappropriate security measures that have repeatedly failed to bring sustainable peace. “Mislabeling the crisis,” he said, “has led to repeated deployment of inappropriate security interventions.”
Kumadoe’s comments follow the government’s recent deployment of 400 military personnel to Bawku under what has been termed a “peace enforcement” mission.
While acknowledging this as a shift in state posture, he cautioned that militarisation alone cannot solve the deep-seated tensions in the region.
He emphasized the need for strategic dialogue, social cohesion programs, and de-politicised mediation that engages all factions genuinely.
The Bawku conflict, rooted in decades of ethnic and chieftaincy-related tensions, has continued to erupt in waves of violence despite numerous peace efforts.
As fatalities and displacement continue to rise, Kumadoe’s call for non-partisan, evidence-based conflict resolution once again highlights the urgent need for a fresh, national commitment to peacebuilding in northern Ghana.
