President John Dramani Mahama has said that the Bawku conflict claimed 119 lives within the period of mediation (2024 to 2025), which was led by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu was appointed by former President Akufo-Addo in 2024 to lead the mediation process aimed at resolving the longstanding conflict in the Bawku area.

The Otumfuo presented his final report to President Mahama on the Bawku Conflict Mediation in December 2025.

The President made the revelation during a courtesy call on him by a Delegation of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs at the Presidency in Accra.

The Delegation was led by Pe Ditundini Adiali Ayagitam III, Paramount Chief of the Chiana Traditional Area and President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs.

President Mahama said relative peace was coming back to Bawku, however, they were not out of the woods yet.

He said the Otumfuo Mediation Committee was established by his predecessor, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, and that in his handing over notes, former President Akufo-Addo mentioned to him that he had invited Otumfuo to mediate in the conflict.

“And so, as his successor, I was duty bound to allow that mediation to go on. And I want to thank Otumfuo again for the role that he played in mediating the conflict,” the President said.

He noted that while the mediation was ongoing, there was violence and killings in Bawku.

“It’s estimated about 119 people lost their lives in the period of mediation. But thank God, ultimately, his report came out,” he said.

The President said the mediation process was meant to work to find a traditional resolution to the conflict; stating that the thinking was that they could get the parties to the conflict in a traditional manner as was done in the past and find a way to accommodate each other.

“Unfortunately, I think that didn’t happen. And once it didn’t happen, then the mediator had no option but to revert to what the law says. And so, his (Otumfuo’s) report basically stated what the lawful position was,” the President stated.

“And I swore an oath to uphold the constitution and the laws of the Republic of Ghana. And so, I cannot be sentimental in terms of implementing the law. And everybody knows what the law states.”

President Mahama said the truly gazetted Chief of Bawku, the Bawku Naba was Naba Abugrago Azoka.

“That is what the law says. He is gazetted. And so, I cannot have any sentiments in the matter and have somebody who is not gazetted come and say I am the Bawku Naba too. And so, I have to do what I have to do to ensure peace in Bawku. Which is what we’ve done. The law is the law,” the President said.

President Mahama mentioned other places where there were conflicts, including the Bolgatanga Chieftaincy dispute, which has been adjudicated by the Judicial Committee of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs.

He expressed the hope that when the Judicial Committee takes its decision, the decision must be implemented.

“It is not in anybody’s power to say, yes, it has taken a decision, but I don’t agree with the decision. And so, I also am imposing myself as a rival chief. If we do that, we would have chaos all over,”

President Mahama said it was not only in the Upper East Region that there were Chieftaincy conflicts, stating that there were many other places.

He said recently Sampa had become another problem, adding that in Sunyani, there was a long reigning chief, but as soon as he died, conflict emerged over the Chieftaincy.

He said sometimes it was not even chieftaincy; it was issues of land, borders and disputes over land.

“But in all this, we must recognise that violence does not solve the problem. Because we no longer live in the jungle where it’s survival of the fittest,” he stated.

The President said the Government recognises the role of chiefs in governance, especially at the local government level.

He said chiefs wield influence over the people and had a role to play in resolution of conflicts and in local development.

Pe Ditundini Adiali Ayagitam III, Paramount Chief of the Chiana Traditional Area and President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs, congratulated President Mahama on his decisive victory in the December 2024 general election.

He also commended the President and his administration for the economic turnaround the nation had witnessed over the past one year, which had led to a reduction in the cost of food stuff in the region.

He appealed to the President to see to the construction of the Bolgatanga Navrongo Sandema Road, and the Bolgatanga-Bawku-Pulmakom road to open the area to neighbouring countries.

He also mentioned the construction of the Pawlugu Multi-purpose Dam Project and the revival of the Pawlugu Tomato Factory.