Security was tight at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi on Monday as the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, resumed mediation efforts in the protracted Bawku conflict.
Armed soldiers and police officers were stationed at strategic points around the palace, ensuring calm and order as the much-anticipated talks began. The mediation, which is expected to last three days, aims to address the long-standing chieftaincy dispute between the Kusasi and Mamprusi communities in Bawku.
The Bawku Naba, Abugrago Azoka, was present in Kumasi for the talks, signaling a renewed commitment to dialogue and peaceful resolution. His arrival drew significant attention from the public and media.
Key stakeholders from both sides of the conflict had started arriving in Kumasi as early as Sunday, ahead of the formal sessions which began yesterday at the seat of the Golden Stool.
Otumfuo Osei Tutu II is serving as the sole mediator, bringing his stature and traditional authority to bear on efforts to resolve the underlying issues fueling the conflict. The chieftaincy disagreement, seen as the root cause of the unrest, formed the core focus of the discussions.
Journalists thronged the palace grounds, seeking updates and statements as the mediation process unfolded behind closed doors.
The presence of national media underscored the importance of the process in restoring peace to the troubled area.
The resumed talks have rekindled hope among many observers that lasting peace in Bawku may finally be within reach.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
The Bawku conflict, which has spanned ages, has reduced some communities in the area to ghost towns in the wake of the violence that has attended the conflict.
Security agencies have been deployed over the years to keep the peace in the area but that has merely papered over seemingly deep-rooted factors at the base of the conflict.
Indeed, hundreds have been killed directly as a result of the conflict, with individual members of different labour groups either quitting the area or declining posting to the affected communities.
In extreme cases, some company branches, including banks, have shut their offices in the area, while courts operating within the conflict enclave were closed by the Chief Justice some time last year.
The Inspector General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, and the Chief of Army Staff, Major General Lawrence Kwaku Gbetanu, have visited the conflict zone to interact with the youth and discuss peace with the people.
For years, the Ministry for the Interior has reviewed and sustained a curfew schedule in Bawku and its environs as a measure to control the situation.
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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: GRAPHICONLINE
