Accra, Ghana, 10 December: President John Dramani Mahama will on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, receive the final report and recommendations on the mediation of the Bawku conflict from the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
The submission of the report marks the conclusion of several months of extensive mediation efforts led by the Asantehene, whose involvement has been central to the broader national reconciliation agenda aimed at restoring lasting peace to the conflict-prone area.
The findings and recommendations in the report are expected to guide the next steps of government intervention, paving the way for sustainable peace and stability in Bawku.
Speaking at the Presidency during an engagement with the National Peace Council on strengthening national unity, President Mahama underscored the urgency of addressing the Bawku conflict, especially given the area’s proximity to Sahelian countries facing terrorist threats.
He expressed gratitude to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his leadership and commitment in facilitating the mediation process.
“And that is why it is important for us to, you know, try and get a handle on the Bawku issue as quickly as possible. I want to express my appreciation to the Otumfo for the role that he has played,” he said.
President Mahama further explained the background leading to the mediation:
“We came into office and the previous governments informed me that they had asked Otumfo to mediate. And so when I met him, he confirmed that, yes, he had been asked to mediate in the conflict. And so we said, OK, we’ll give opportunity for that mediation to take place. So we’ve been managing the crisis, I mean, sporadic killings here and there, waiting for the outcome of the mediation process.”
He revealed that the Asantehene will formally present the mediation report to him on Tuesday, December 16, adding that key national stakeholders will be invited to join in receiving the document.
“Happily, Otumfo has signaled to me that on the 16th he would come here to the presidency. I’ll invite you to the National Peace Council. I invite the executive committee of the House of Chiefs and then other, you know, recognized bodies, religious leaders. And we will receive the mediation report together. And consequently, whatever actions need to be taken to implement the reports, we would all, you know, know exactly what we’re going to do. And so we have to be prepared,” he stated.
President Mahama also highlighted the importance of strengthening national security in light of growing extremist activity in the Sahel region.
“We haven’t had any direct confrontation from any of the violent extremists, but it’s not a question of if, it’s a question of when. Because, I mean, we cannot say we are immune to what is happening there. And that’s why we need to prepare our security services so that they can defend the country in case of any incursion. And so recently we’ve started the retooling of the security services. We acquired some armored vehicles for the police. We’re doing the same for the Air Force. And we’re acquiring different ordinances for our services so that in the event that anything happens, we don’t only give them the mandate, but we give them the capacity to be able to fulfill the mandate,” he said.
LISTEN TO PRESIDENT MAHAMA IN THE AUDIO BELOW:
Story by: Emmanuel Romeo Tetteh(#RomeoWrites✍️)/Ahotoronline.com | Ghana 🇬🇭