Former President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama, says the Bawku conflict halts anytime the NDC takes over the administration of the country.

“If you look at the history, you will find that anytime NDC is in government, there is peace in Bawku and surrounding areas. As soon as we hand over to our brothers, then, trouble starts,” he said.

He said given the nod in the upcoming elections, peace in Bawku would be the number one priority of his government, adding that “We are going to work with the chiefs, the religious leaders and everybody to make sure that we establish sustainable peace in Bawku.”

The NDC flagbearer said this when he addressed a durbar of chiefs and people at the Pusiga Naba’s Palace in the Pusiga District of the Upper East Region as part of activities for his four-day campaign tour of the region.

On infrastructural projects, Mr Mahama told the people of Pusiga that the party was undertaking inventory of all abandoned government projects across the country and owing to the economic crisis, his government would not start any new project but would focus on abandoned projects.

He said there were abandoned classrooms, administration, and hostel blocks in schools, and the same with hospital projects across the country.  

“These were built with taxpayers' money, and if we do not complete it, then, it means that the money that has been put in there is locked up without giving any service to the people. So, we are going to concentrate and finish all those projects so that we can have use for them,” he said.

Even though Mr Mahama said his government would concentrate on abandoned projects, he, however, said some very critical projects would be considered, “And one is the road coming to Pusiga. It is very deplorable, and that is a part of the Bawku-Pulmakom road.

“It is Lot 11 of the Bawku-Pulmakom road. I cut the sod for that road in 2015, and I thought that by the time we come here, the road would have been completed. Unfortunately, when I was coming from Bolga, the Contractor had vacated the site completely.

“It is obvious that God designed that NDC should come back and finish the road that we started,” the former president said.

The chief of Pusiga, Naba Tambisbaalug Ibrahim Aguri thanked the former president for some projects the district enjoyed during his tenure as president and mentioned that Pusiga was elevated to a district status under Mr Mahama’s tenure.

He added that the NDC under Mr Mahama’s leadership as president, established the Pusiga Community Day Senior High School, started the construction of the Bolgatanga-Bawku-Pulmakom road, constructed basic schools, CHPS compounds, rural electrification, and fertilizer subsidy.

“These initiatives have greatly contributed to the growth and progress of our district, and we remain thankful for your contribution,” the chief said and appealed to the NDC flagbearer to continue the works he started that were not completed if given the nod again.

Naba Aguri further appealed for a market centre and a District Police Headquarters to beef up security in the area, especially as the district shared boundaries with Togo and Burkina Faso.

The chief said the 2024 election was historic as the two flagbearers from the NDC and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) were both from northern Ghana and advised them to go about their campaigns peacefully.