The Government of Ghana has formally accepted and endorsed the Bawku Conflict Mediation Report presented by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, describing it as a decisive step toward lasting peace and stability in the troubled municipality.
In a statement issued on December 17, the Minister in Charge of Government Communications and Presidential Spokesperson, Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, said the report was submitted to government on December 16, 2025, and had been thoroughly reviewed and adopted in full.
According to the statement, President John Dramani Mahama’s administration considers the mediation report a credible, fact-based and forward-looking blueprint aimed solely at reconciliation and sustainable peace, rather than assigning blame or declaring winners in the long-standing conflict.
As part of the government’s acceptance of the report, it reaffirmed the position of the law, as upheld by the Supreme Court, that Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II remains the legitimate Bawku Naba. Government stressed that no individual or group is permitted to challenge his authority or legitimacy under any circumstances.
The government also agreed to the recommendation that Alhaji Seidu Abagre, who was installed as a rival claimant to the Bawku skin, be recalled to Nalerigu by the Nayiri, the Overlord of Mamprugu, to assume an alternative traditional role. It said arrangements are being made to ensure his safe movement to Nalerigu in line with the directives of the Asantehene.
Beyond the peace process, government acknowledged the extensive socio-economic damage caused by years of insecurity in Bawku, including loss of lives, disrupted livelihoods and stalled development projects.
To address these challenges, President Mahama has directed the Minister for Finance to establish a GH¢1 billion Bawku Revitalisation Fund, which will be disbursed over a three-year period from 2026 to 2028. The fund will focus on rebuilding critical infrastructure such as roads, health and educational facilities, irrigation and dam projects to support agriculture, as well as security and commercial infrastructure to restore Bawku’s economic vitality.
The revitalisation fund will be overseen by a high-level committee chaired by the Minister for Finance, Hon. Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, who also serves as Acting Minister for Defence.
Government further appealed to traditional leaders, political actors, youth groups, civil society organisations, religious bodies and residents of Bawku to support the reconciliation process in the interest of national unity and stability.
The statement concluded by expressing gratitude to Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Nayiri, the Bawku Naba, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, and all stakeholders whose cooperation and goodwill contributed to the success of the mediation process.
