The Government of Ghana has formally accepted and endorsed the findings of the Bawku Conflict Mediation Report presented by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, on December 16, 2025. In an official statement signed by the Spokesperson to the President, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the government described the report as a comprehensive roadmap for lasting peace and stability in the region. Emphasizing that the mediation process aims for reconciliation rather than apportioning blame, the government affirmed the legal status of Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II as the lawful Bawku Naba, consistent with prior Supreme Court rulings, and cautioned that his authority must not be contested.
As part of the recommendations, the state will facilitate the immediate and safe relocation of Alhaji Seidu Abagre, the rival chieftaincy claimant, to Nalerigu. Under the guidance of the Overlord of Mamprugu, the Nayiri, Alhaji Abagre is expected to assume an alternative traditional role. To support the social and economic recovery of the area, President John Dramani Mahama has directed the establishment of a one billion Ghana Cedi (GHS 1,000,000,000) Bawku Revitalization Fund.
This fund, to be disbursed between 2026 and 2028, is dedicated to rebuilding critical infrastructure such as roads, healthcare facilities, and irrigation dams to restore Bawku’s status as a major economic hub in Northern Ghana.
The Revitalization Fund will be managed by a high-level committee chaired by the Minister for Finance and Acting Minister for Defence, Cassiel Ato Baah Forson. Other members include the Upper East Regional Minister, Donaltus Akamuguri, and the Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, who represents the local Members of Parliament.
The government expressed its profound gratitude to the Asantehene, the Nayiri, and the Bawku Naba for their roles in the historic mediation. President Mahama has urged all factions to exercise restraint and abide by the report’s recommendations, stressing that there are no winners or losers in the pursuit of national peace.
Ruth Abla ADJORLOLO
