The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has resumed his mediation efforts to resolve the decades-old Bawku conflict, holding a closed-door meeting on Monday with the Kusasi Traditional Council at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi.
This renewed engagement signals the continuation of Otumfuo’s traditional peace diplomacy, aimed at restoring lasting stability to the conflict-ridden municipality in the Upper East Region.
The meeting follows an earlier round of talks on April 29, during which the Asantehene met separately with representatives of both factions; the Kusasi and the Mamprusi to initiate peace discussions.
However, the mediation process was temporarily halted following the death of Daasebre Osei Bonsu II, Paramount Chief of Mampong, whose funeral rites (June 7–9) took precedence due to the prominence of the Mampong Stool within the Asante Kingdom hierarchy.
The Bawku conflict, rooted in historical ethnic and chieftaincy disputes between the Kusasi and Mamprusi communities, has long posed challenges for peace and national cohesion.
Characterized by recurring violence, mass displacement, and the collapse of local institutions, the crisis remains a top concern for both traditional and national leaders.
Credit: STARRONLINE