The Bawku conflict is mutating into Kusasi NPP versus Kusasi NPP gun battle

Your Excellency President Akufo-Addo, I wish to bring to your urgent attention signals of a mutation of the current Bawku conflict into gun battles among KUSASI NPP MEMBERS in the six (6) constituencies of the Kusuag Traditional Area – Garu, Tempane, Binduri, Pusiga, Zebilla and Bawku Central.

The Bawumia Factor

Your Excellency, central to the Kusasi NPP internecine struggle is the issue of support for – or against – the candidature of Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in the on-going campaign to select an NPP flagbearer.

Kusasi NPP members are upset over what they say is Dr. Bawumia’s SILENCE on the Bawku conflict, and his perceived support for the Bawku Mamprusis.

There are currently threats to, and gun attacks on some Kusasi NPP stalwarts who openly declare support for – or are perceived to support – the candidature of Dr. Bawumia.

Your Excellency, as you may be aware, the Security Agents are investigating the murder of Solo, the Binduri Constituency NPP Nasara Coordinator (on 21/08/23), and gun attacks on Mr. Michael Abugri, the Garu Constituency NPP Chairman (on 28/08/23), and Dr. Kingsley Akugri, an NPP Parliamentary Aspirant for Zebilla (on 29/08/23).

Your Excellency, in the context of the Bawku conflict and its associated guerilla-style gun attacks in other parts of the Upper East and North East Regions, it is easy for any lazy Detective/Investigator to attribute the above-mentioned gun attacks to Mamprusi gun men. But there is more to the gun attacks than the usual Kusasi/Mamprusi gun battles. The following NPP stalwarts who are suspected to be pro-Bawumia supporters in the Kusuag Traditional Area are targets for gun shots: Alhaji Bashiru Ibrahim and Lawyer Joseph Dindiock Kpemka – Tempane Constituency, Abdul Hannan Aludiba – Pusiga Constituency, Abdul Abanga (MP) – Binduri Constituency, Frank Fuseini Adongo and Dr. Kingsley Kurugu – Zebilla Constituency.

Your Excellency, as you may already be aware, I have been physically present in Bawku, observing, monitoring and reporting on the current conflict since it broke out in November/December, 2021. And I can confidently report that criminals, gangsters politicians, etc., are taking advantage of the Bawku Kusasi/Mamprusi conflict to kill and maim targetted high profile individuals.

Currently, Kusasi NPP members are also taking advantage of the Bawku conflict to threaten each other and to conspire to kill each other because of support for or against the candidature of Dr. Bawumia.

Dr. Bawumia’s silence on the Bawku conflict

Your Excellency, the Kusasi NPP members are aware Dr. Bawumia is not silent on the Bawku conflict. They are aware that Dr. Bawumia spoke on the Bawku conflict when he inaugurated the reburshished offices of the Upper East Region House of Chiefs on 1st June, 2023.

The Upper East Regional Minister – a Kusasi NPP member from the Binduri Constituency – was present. Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs Minister Stephen Asamoah Boateng was present. Council of State Member Tongo-Raana Kolbilsong Namalteng was present. Many NPP Regional and Constituency Executives were present. In their presence, Dr. Bawumia addressed the Chiefs and Queen mothers and spoke on the Bawku conflict as follows:

“As a son of the soil, my heart breaks about what is happening in Bawku.The conflict in Bawku is unfortunate because we are really one people, and we must be together and not fight. So, I hope the initiatives that the Government has initiated through the House of Chiefs and Otumfuo will help us bring lasting peace to the area.”

Your Excellency, Kusasi NPP members deemed Dr. Bawumia’s speech to the Upper East Region House of Chiefs as a stunt and an insult to the Kusasis.

Some Kusasi NPP members stated the following response to Dr. Bawumia’s speech:

When we say he has been silent, we know exactly what we mean. That stunt at the Regional House of Chiefs won’t wash. Has he repeated after his boss that; THERE IS NO OTHER CHIEF APART FROM ZUGRAAN ABUGRAGO AZOKA II AS SAID BY THE SUPREME COURT OF GHANA?”

Your Excellency, your Administration is spending ten (10) million cedis every month of tax payers money on the Bawku Security Agents. Some of the Security Agents are expected to focus attention not only on Bawku, but also on the threat of terrorists along the country’s borders, as well as on the guerilla-style gun attacks associated with the expansion of the Bawku conflict to other locations in the Kusuag Traditional Area, and other parts of the Upper East and North East Regions

Your Excellency, the Bawku Security Agents can not be overstretched by the distractions of a mutation of the Bawku conflict into a Kusasi NPP versus Kusasi NPP gun fight over support for or against the candidature of Dr. Bawumia for NPP flagbearership.

As a Citizen – and not a Spectator – based in Bawku, and in line with Security Minister Kan Dapaah’s “See Something Say Something” mantra, I wish to call on President Akufo-Addo – and leader of the NPP – to consider dispatching a high powered NPP delegation to the six constituencies in the Kusaug Traditional Area, to dismantle the Kusasi NPP tinderbox for the gun fire that is likely to engulf the Bawku general area before, during and after the flagbearer election of 4th November, 2023.

Respectfully submitted, Mr. President.

I shall return.

Owula Mangortey
Bawku
4th September, 2023