The Manhyia Palace has announced that His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, will officially resume mediation efforts in the protracted Bawku conflict from April 28 to May 1, 2025, at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
This renewed mediation process comes at a critical time, following recent violent confrontations between local youth and security forces in the conflict-prone area. The clashes reportedly led to multiple fatalities and injuries, as well as the vandalization of the private residence of the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, April 15, the Manhyia Palace said:
“Asantehene requests all stakeholders to cooperate for us to find a lasting peace in Bawku.”
The palace’s intervention is seen as part of a larger peace roadmap initiated in 2023, when Otumfuo Osei Tutu II was invited to mediate between the feuding factions in the Upper East Region town.
Last week, former President John Dramani Mahama reaffirmed his support for the peace initiative, disclosing that the Otumfuo-led mediation would resume upon the monarch’s return from an overseas engagement.
Speaking at a graduation ceremony at the Ghana Military Academy on Friday, April 11, Mr. Mahama remarked:
“We have triggered the Otumfuo mediation process, which saw all stakeholders participate in discussions in Kumasi on a roadmap towards peace. I am assured by the Asantehene that the process will commence next week when he returns from his brief visit abroad.”
Highlighting the urgent need for calm, he added:
“The flashpoint continues to be the Bawku area. Only two days ago, an incident in a marketplace triggered an unfortunate loss of lives and criminal vandalism of properties. I wish to emphasise that nobody gains from this situation of conflict and insecurity.”
The Asantehene’s involvement is widely regarded as a symbol of national unity and an opportunity for sustainable peace in Bawku, a town whose tensions have spanned decades. All eyes are now on Kumasi as the resumption of talks nears, with hopes high for a breakthrough.
