Bawku conflict mediation: Parties embrace after final meeting - Asantehene to present peace plan to President Mahama

The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, is acceptable to contiguous the findings of his mediation effort successful the Bawku struggle to President John Dramani Mahama aft concluding a process intended to find a lasting solution to the decades-old quality fuelled by chieftaincy issues.

The concluding deliberations astatine the Manhyia Palace yesterday were characterised by dense security, with the Mamprusi and Kusasi parties good represented successful their enactment and tribesmen and tribeswomen, some wrong and extracurricular the palace.

The study volition incorporate a roadmap to achieving lasting bid successful a struggle that has claimed hundreds of lives implicit the years.

Otumfuo has served arsenic the sole mediator successful the dispute, which has besides resulted successful extended spot destruction, maimed many, and near the erstwhile vibrant borderline assemblage astir desolate.

After astir 5 hours of discussions betwixt Otumfuo and representatives from the Kusasi and Mamprusi factions, including their lawyers, hundreds of supportive members from some groups erupted successful celebration, each claiming victory.

Lawyers from some sides interacted freely, smiling and shaking hands successful the biggest motion of a perchance palmy mediation process.

A root adjacent to the gathering told the Daily Graphic that the Asantehene did not state a definitive victor oregon loser.

The root explained that, dissimilar tribunal proceedings, mediation processes focused connected reaching an acceptable statement for each parties.

The root indicated that Otumfuo took the accidental to reappraisal each the arguments precocious by the parties since the mediation began.

"More importantly, the Asantehene announced that helium would contiguous his findings to President John Dramani Mahama for the adjacent steps," the root stated.

The decision of the mediation process is anticipated to pb to an amicable colony of the conflict.
 
Tight security

Yesterday’s last deliberations were held down closed doors nether choky information wrong the Palace grounds.

Military armoured vehicles and a important beingness of constabulary and subject unit were stationed astatine strategical points to support peace.

Near disturbances

The bid mission, however, threatened to scope an anti-climax with a adjacent clash betwixt members of the 2 factions extracurricular the main entranceway of the Manhyia Palace.

The adjacent confrontation began erstwhile immoderate passengers connected a autobus carrying members of the Mamprusi faction waved astatine their tribesmen and tribeswomen gathered extracurricular arsenic the autobus exited the palace.

The spontaneous jubilation angered the Kusasis nearby, and arsenic the look of joyousness from 1 broadside and anxiousness from the different broadside intensified, it astir escalated into a carnal altercation.

Police and subject reinforcements arrived swiftly, preventing what looked scary. 

The chaotic country extracurricular delayed the departure of the Kusasi delegation from the palace.

After astir 45 minutes, they yet made their exit, greeted by a ample assemblage that led them distant amid cheers and the dependable of honking vehicles and motorbikes.

Background

The Bawku conflict, which has lasted for respective decades, has claimed implicit 300 lives since November 2021, with a devastating interaction connected the socio-economic conditions of thousands of radical surviving successful the area.

The quality betwixt the Kusasis and Mamprusis threatens to undo the advancement the municipality has made implicit the years, turning Bawku into a shade municipality owed to heightened insecurity.

The situation has forced hundreds of nationalist and backstage assemblage workers, including teachers and nurses, to fly to different districts retired of fearfulness for their safety.

The escalating struggle is harming section businesses and driving distant investors.

Essential services specified arsenic schools, healthcare facilities and transport are suffering arsenic pupils, teachers, wellness workers and others are incapable to transportation retired their regular activities owed to spontaneous shootings and killings.

All sectors of the section economy, including health, education, commercialized and commerce, concern and transportation, person been severely impacted by the conflict, yet destroying the livelihoods of thousands of residents.

Writer’s email: gilbert.agbey@graphic.com.gh