By Laudia Anyorkor Nunoo
Tema, Dec. 09, GNA-Mr Samson Awingobit Asaki, the National Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), has called on the government to include all political parties in the presentation of the Bawku mediation report.
The presentation, which is scheduled for Thursday, December 11, will be led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, chair of the national mediation process, and aimed at restoring lasting peace to Bawku and neighbouring communities.
The Bawku conflict, rooted in a long-standing chieftaincy and ethnic dispute between the Kusasi and Mamprusi communities, has over the years attracted efforts from successive governments, traditional leaders, security agencies and civil society organisations.
Mr Asaki noted that confirmed information indicated that several key institutions and dignitaries, including the National House of Chiefs, National Peace Council, Christian Council of Ghana, Office of the Chief Imam, Catholic Secretariat, UNDP, British High Commission, elected regional ministers and the National Security Coordinator, have been invited to the crucial meeting.
He added that “However, the list remains silent on political parties,” a situation he believed was a major omission that undermined national inclusiveness.
The PNC chairman added that the Bawku conflict had national implications, and political parties were essential stakeholders in peacebuilding and governance.
He stressed that “if this presentation is to carry full national legitimacy, then all political traditions, big or small, must be present. Government should correct this immediately and give the process a genuinely national character.”
Mr Asaki argued that political parties have historically played critical roles in supporting peace efforts, especially in conflicts with ethnic, security, and governance dimensions.
He emphasised that no mediation outcome could be truly comprehensive without political input.
According to him, Ghana could not claim to seek lasting peace while excluding major actors whose cooperation was needed to sustain that peace.
The PNC Chairman commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his leadership, stressing that the government must ensure the widest possible participation in the presentation.
He emphasised that “Peace is a collective responsibility, and if we are truly committed to ending the Bawku conflict once and for all, then every political party must be allowed a seat at the table.”
GNA
Edited by Lydia Kukua Asamoah