The National Chairman of the People’s National Convention (PNC), Samson Awingobit Asaki, has called on the government to extend invitations to all political parties for Thursday’s presentation of the Bawku Mediation Report to President John Dramani Mahama. The presentation, scheduled for December 11, will be led by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who has chaired a months-long national mediation process aimed at restoring lasting peace to Bawku and neighbouring communities.
According to confirmed information, several key institutions and dignitaries including the National House of Chiefs, National Peace Council, Christian Council of Ghana, Office of the Chief Imam, Catholic Secretariat, UNDP, British High Commission, elected Regional Ministers and the National Security Coordinator have been invited to the crucial meeting. However, the list remains silent on political parties, a situation Mr. Asaki believes is a major omission that undermines national inclusiveness.
“The Bawku conflict has national implications, and political parties are essential stakeholders in peacebuilding and governance,” the PNC Chairman stated. “If this presentation is to carry full national legitimacy, then all political traditions big or small must be present. Government should correct this immediately and give the process a genuinely national character.”
Mr. Asaki argued that political parties have historically played critical roles in supporting peace efforts, especially in conflicts with ethnic, security and governance dimensions. For this reason, he stressed that no mediation outcome can be truly comprehensive without political input. “We cannot claim to seek lasting peace while excluding major actors whose cooperation is needed to sustain that peace,” he added.
The upcoming report presentation marks a major milestone in the high-level peace initiative led by the Asantehene, which has involved multiple mediation committees and national institutions. The Bawku conflict rooted in a long-standing chieftaincy and ethnic dispute between the Kusasi and Mamprusi communities has over the years attracted efforts from successive governments, traditional leaders, security agencies and civil society organisations.
The PNC Chairman commended Otumfuo Osei Tutu II for his leadership but insisted that government must ensure the widest possible participation as the nation approaches this decisive moment. “Peace is a collective responsibility,” he said, “and if we are truly committed to ending the Bawku conflict once and for all, then every political party must be allowed a seat at the table.