The Member of Parliament for Yendi, Abdul-Fatawu Alhassan, has called on the government to urgently commit resources and accelerate support for the ongoing mediation process led by the Asantehene to resolve the protracted Bawku conflict.
Speaking on Channel One TV’s Breakfast Daily on Tuesday, July 29, he emphasised the need for swift and visible action, warning that delays are deepening public frustration and costing lives.
The MP praised the mediation process being spearheaded by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, which began on April 28 at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi and involved several days of dialogue with factions involved in the conflict.
However, he expressed concern about the limited flow of information.
“The government should do everything possible to fast-track what is happening at Manhyia. If there is a need for more resources, the government must look into that,” he stated.
“One thing I have realised about our state institutions is that they are very slow in these deliberations. People are losing patience. Everything happens within the palace, and when they come out, you don’t even hear what went on. That makes people feel like nothing is happening,” he said.
The urgency of his appeal follows a fresh wave of violence in Bawku. A third-year student of Bawku Senior High School, Hakim Kundima, was shot and killed on campus on Saturday, July 26.
According to Citi News sources, the student was forcibly dragged from his dormitory by unidentified gunmen around 8:30 p.m. and shot outside in what appears to have been a targeted attack, leading to the temporary closure of the school and imposition of curfew on the community.
In a related development, the Kusaug Traditional Council has commended the Asantehene’s efforts, describing recent engagements as “productive” and expressing hope that his intervention could mark a turning point in the conflict.