President John Dramani Mahama has inaugurated a five-member committee to manage the GH¢1 billion Bawku Revitalisation Fund, marking a major step towards rebuilding the conflict-ravaged municipality and surrounding districts.
The committee, inaugurated at the Presidency on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, is chaired by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson . Other members include the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga; His Royal Majesty Cletus Abugri, Chief of Tempane; Upper East Regional Minister Akamugri Donatus Atanga; and the Member of Parliament for Garu, Dr Thomas Winsum Anabah .
Speaking at the inauguration, President Mahama confirmed that funding for the initiative has been secured, clearing the way for implementation following significant improvements in the security situation in Bawku . The relative calm has allowed the government to ease restrictions on motorbike riding in the municipality, permitting daytime movement between 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. daily, though a curfew from 10:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. remains in place .
Background of the Fund
The establishment of the fund follows the government’s receipt of the Otumfuo Mediation Committee’s report in December 2025 . The committee, led by Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, was appointed by former President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in 2024 to mediate the long-standing Bawku chieftaincy conflict .
The mediation period was marked by significant violence, with President Mahama revealing that approximately 119 people lost their lives during the process . The committee’s final report affirmed Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II as the constitutionally recognised and legitimate paramount chief, upholding the Supreme Court’s position on the matter .
Following the report’s recommendations, security forces removed rival chief Alhaji Seidu Abagre from Bawku township in December 2025 . The mediation committee had recommended that Abagre be recalled to Nalerigu by the Nayiri, the Overlord of Mamprugu, or remain in Bawku strictly as a private citizen .
President Mahama emphasised that the government is committed to implementing the law without sentiment: “I swore an oath to uphold the constitution and the laws of the Republic of Ghana. And so, I cannot be sentimental in terms of implementing the law. And everybody knows what the law states” .
Development Priorities
The prolonged conflict severely disrupted public services and stalled major development projects in the area, including the Tamli Dam project, which serves four districts . President Mahama noted that the government was previously unable to post national service personnel or doctors to Bawku due to the fighting .
With relative peace returning, the President said the government would focus on reviving stalled projects and ensuring the area receives its fair share of national development . The fund will prioritise road infrastructure and healthcare facilities, including completing an Agenda 111 hospital and constructing a new hospital in Bawku .
President Mahama expressed optimism about Bawku’s future: “Bawku is finally calm. The guns have stopped sounding, and people are beginning to go about their business. I believe that if this peace continues, Bawku will bounce back to its original glory as a major commercial area of our country” .
The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office currently advises against all but essential travel to the Bawku Municipal area, though this advisory is expected to be reviewed as the revitalisation efforts progress .
