By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu, GNA
Keta (VR), Dec 6, GNA – Mr Bill Godson Ocloo, and a security analyst and the Executive Director of African Centre for Human Security, has praised Otumfuo Osei Tutu ll, the Asantehene, for the efforts to resolve the long standing Bawku conflicts.
He said the conflicts in Bawku involved competing claim to traditional authority between the Kusasis and Mamprusis communities and has had severe social, economic and political consequences for the residents in the areas.
Commenting on the peace talk initiative being implemented by the Asantehene, during an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Ocloo said that the steps to mediate the conflict had seen significant development, which offered a culturally grounded, credible and neutral pathway towards resolution.
“This intervention comes at a critical moment following repeated cycles of violence and unsuccessful attempts at reconciliation by previous state and civil society initiatives,” he said.
He emphasised that Asantehene’s mediation reflected not only the potential of traditional leadership in conflict resolution but also a renewed opportunity for Bawku to achieve lasting peace and socio-economic stability.
He explained that the dispute which dated back several decades have periodically escalated into violent clashes, which resulted into the loss of lives, destruction of property, and displacement of families while previous attempts by government agencies, civil society organisations, and security forces have often brought only temporary respite with underlying grievances remaining unaddressed.
“The conflict has disrupted livelihood, interrupted education, and healthcare services and the erosion of trust between groups. Investors and development agencies have frequently been deterred by instability, which slowed the region’s potential growth.”
Mr Ocloo said that the steps towards conflict resolution had been recognised as a credible and culturally informed mediation and the Asantehene’s engagement of both parties, civil society, and regional leadership in preliminary consultations were crucial for establishing channel of communication and identifying the root causes of the dispute.
In April 2025, the Asantehene formally resumed full-scale mediation at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi with a concluding session scheduled for December 2025 and the structured approach reflected an intentional and methodical efforts to move beyond symbolic gestures towards a durable resolution.
Mr Ocloo said the gesture exhibited by the Asantehene was significant in bringing credibility and impartiality to the dialogue process, which would foster trust between the disputing parties, while a successful resolution was expected to reduce the burden on national security agencies and reinforce Ghana’s reputation as a nation capable of resolving its internal conflicts peacefully.
“Resolving conflict is not only a matter of political stability but also a critical step towards restoring human security and economic development in the region and the mediation efforts demonstrated how traditional leaders can complement governmental intervention to achieve sustainable outcomes.”
He said the reconciliation between the Kusasi and the Manprusi communities was essential for lasting peace, which could restore social cohesion, markets, farmlands, to encourage youth to engage in education and constructive activities to strengthen local governance and leadership legitimacy and attract investment and development projects.
The Asantehene’s mediation provides a culturally grounded platform for dialogue, which offered both parties a credible pathway to commit to shared governance, peace, needed support and responsibilities from the government, which remained critical for sustaining the peace process.
He said the move would also provide security guarantees during the mediation, offer logistical and administrative support to traditional authorities, strengthen legal frameworks for chieftaincy and land disputes, invest in post-conflict infrastructure, education, and livelihoods, establish monitoring and rapid response mechanisms for early warning signs for community engagement for lasting peace.
Mr Ocloo urged residents in the Bawku enclave to abandon violence and support disarmament efforts, engage actively in reconciliation and community dialogue, respect mediation outcomes on leadership, land, and resources, promote coexistence, tolerance, and cultural understanding, collaborate on local development projects that benefit all communities and sustain peace required by the people themselves.
GNA
Edited by Maxwell Awumah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah