The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has affirmed that Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II is the lawful and rightful chief of the Bawku traditional area, citing long-established tradition and binding rulings of the Supreme Court of Ghana.
Presenting the Bawku Peace Mediation Report to President John Dramani Mahama on Tuesday, December 16, Otumfuo said this conclusion was reached after extensive consultations with chiefs of towns and communities affected by the withdrawal of traditional recognition following the implementation of the 1957 Governor-General’s White Paper based on the Afari Committee’s recommendations, as well as subsequent legal instruments including NLC Decree 112 and PNDC Law 75.
According to the Asantehene, the mediation process revealed significant reconciliation among Kusaasi and Mamprusi communities in several towns, describing the progress as a positive step toward lasting peace in the conflict prone area.
On the specific issue of Bawku town, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II explained that although the town was referenced in earlier proposed settlement terms, current Ghanaian laws make
it impossible to alter the status of the legally recognised chief.
He stated that tradition dating back to about 1931, together with decisions of the Supreme Court, clearly establish that the Bawku Naba holds lawful authority over the entire Kusaasi area.
He stressed that the Supreme Court has declared Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II as the Bawku Naba, adding that no rival claimant can lawfully reside in Bawku or elsewhere in the area while asserting competing authority.
Otumfuo disclosed that he had impressed upon the Nayiri, Naa Bohagu Abdulai Mahami Sheriga to accept the legal recognition of the Bawku Naba in the interest of the long-standing brotherhood between their traditional kingdoms and to ensure sustainable peace.
He noted that continued disputes undermine national stability and negatively affect social services, including education, an issue he said the Nayiri himself is deeply concerned about.
The Asantehene further stated that he had been candid with the Nayiri that certain purported arrangements and claims could not stand under Ghana’s laws, as they pose serious challenges to achieving the lasting peace all parties desire.
Otumfuo expressed confidence that the Nayiri has come to terms with these realities, describing the acknowledgment of the Bawku Naba’s lawful status as a critical step toward ending the conflict and restoring peace in Bawku and its surrounding communities.
