John Mahama, the flagbearer of the NDC, recently addressed residents in the Zebilla constituency, stating, "Any time the NDC is in government, Bawku is at peace... as soon as the NDC leaves government, the Bawku crisis flares up again." This statement, which is factually incorrect, reflects a lack of statesmanship, especially concerning the critical issue of peace and security in Bawku. It suggests that Mahama is more interested in exploiting the crisis to resurrect his collapsed political ambitions than in finding a lasting solution.

It is disappointing that Mahama, who should act as a statesman, has not apologized for his false claims made a day earlier in Bawku, where he inaccurately stated that the population and land size of the 6 districts in the Bawku area exceeded or equaled that of the North East region. Instead, he continues to spread falsehoods, appearing desperate to become president by any means, including sowing discord among tribes. For the record, the North East region's land size surpasses that of the entire Upper East region, and its population is also greater than that of the Bawku area and even Mahama's home region of Savannah.

Now, is it true that Bawku is always at peace when the NDC is in government as stated by John Mahama?

The first notable instance of violence in Bawku's chieftaincy dispute, following political interference by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah in 1958, occurred in 1983 during the PNDC regime—a precursor to the NDC. Key PNDC appointees such as John Ndebugri, Cletus Apul Avoka, and Sule Agholsi used the PNDC regime to incite their tribesmen towards actions that resembled ethnic cleansing of the Mamprusis, under the guise of Kusasi liberation.

During this period, the PNDC regime ignored rulings from the Bolgatanga High Court in 1980 and the National House of Chiefs in 1983 and suppressed the right of the Mamprusis to perform the funeral of the late Bawku Naaba Naa Adam Zangbeo who died as a chief and Vice President of the Upper Regional House of Chiefs. Bawku, under the PNDC regime witnessed significant violence in 1983, 1984, and 1985. Reports from the 1983 Report of the Sub-Committee of the PNDC Adhoc Committee on Bawku Dispute and the 1984 Committee to Investigate the Bawku Lands Disputes provide detailed evidence of the complicity of the PNDC regime. These reports recommended repealing PNDCL 75 and the performance of the funeral of Bawku Naaba Naa Adam Zangbeo to resolve the crisis for good, but the recommendations were never implemented.

Subsequent major conflict erupted on December 8, 2000, again under the NDC's watch. This conflict was triggered by attempts from the NDC government to suppress the electoral will of Bawku residents, who had elected Madam Hawa Yakubu of the NPP as their Member of Parliament. This unrest, which began in 2000, intensified in 2001.

Further incidents occurred in September 2009, with the NDC in power and John Mahama as Vice President. The violence in Bawku escalated, and undercover investigations by the Ghanaian Observer revealed the existence of an NDC-sponsored guerrilla training camp for its supporters in the area. The camp, where combatants were seen practicing with advanced weaponry and ambush tactics, was eventually disbanded. However, those trained were integrated into National Security. It is therefore very possible that the increased acts of banditry in recent times where several innocent women, men and children have been killed or injured along the Pusiga and Binduri highways are the actions of remnants of the graduates of the the guerilla training camp.

These facts challenge the narrative that Bawku enjoys peace under NDC rule. Instead, they highlight a pattern of conflicts and political manipulation contributing to the area's unrest. The remarks by John Mahama claiming that Bawku is peaceful under NDC governance are therefore hypocritical, given the historical evidence of turmoil linked to the actions and inactions of the PNDC/NDC regimes.

Ghanaians and the residents of Bawku should critically assess John Mahama's claims and motivations, especially his attempts to leverage ethnic tensions for political gain. It is crucial to reject him and his divisive tactics in the upcoming general elections and ensure that peace and justice prevail in the Bawku area.

Thank you.

Written by:

Dr. Issah Imoro

issahwuni@gmail.com

05/08/2024

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