Heavy security at Manhyia Palace as Otumfuo-led committee nears final phase of Bawku mediation

Heavy security has been mounted at the Manhyia Palace as the committee chaired by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II prepares to conclude its mediation efforts aimed at resolving the longstanding Bawku conflict.

About 400 police officers have been deployed to maintain order, while military personnel remain on standby to provide reinforcement if needed, an indication of the sensitivity and importance of the meeting.

The Asantehene-led committee has, since the beginning of the year, held a series of engagements with the leadership of the Kusasis and the Mamprusis in a renewed bid to restore calm to Bawku, where intermittent clashes linked to a protracted chieftaincy dispute have destabilized the area for years.

The conflict has claimed many lives, displaced several residents and brought economic and social activities nearly to a halt.

After months of separate meetings with both sides, Monday’s sitting marks the first time the two factions are meeting face-to-face under the auspices of the Manhyia Palace.

The gathering represents the concluding stage of an intensive mediation process involving consultations, fact-finding and consensus-building throughout 2025.

Ahead of the meeting, stakeholders including the National Peace Council and the Member of Parliament for Garu have urged both sides to accept the Asantehene’s decision in good faith to help break the cycle of tension and restore normalcy to the area.

The Manhyia Palace has commended the factions for the maturity, patience and cooperation shown during the mediation, describing their conduct as vital to achieving a sustainable resolution.

Meanwhile, hundreds of Kusasis and Mamprusis in the Kumasi Metropolis have gathered around the precincts of the palace in anticipation of the outcome, though security personnel have barred them from entering the palace grounds.