The Overlord of the Mamprugu Kingdom, Naa Bohagu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, has publicly accused some state actors of worsening the protracted Bawku chieftaincy conflict, describing the situation as a serious abuse of power and injustice against the Mamprusi people.
Addressing a rare press conference at the Nayiri Palace in Nalerigu, the Nayiri condemned what he described as the maltreatment of Mamprusis and the handling of the conflict by state authorities.
According to him, the mediation process led by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, which initially offered hope for peace and reconciliation, has instead resulted in deeper division, mistrust, and insecurity in the area.
The Nayiri also expressed concern over the arrest and continued detention of Bawku Naa Sheriga, Alhaji Seidu Abagre, which he claimed was based on a flawed mediation outcome.
He argued that no Ghanaian should be forcibly displaced or removed from their ancestral home for political reasons.
The Mamprugu overlord is therefore calling on the government and state institutions to facilitate the immediate return of Alhaji Seidu Abagre to Bawku.
Speaking during the press conference, Naa Kpatidana Ben Bukari stressed that Mamprugu remains one of the oldest and most enduring kingdoms in the history of Ghana.
He noted that successive Nayiris have consistently exercised restraint to prevent the Bawku conflict from escalating into a wider ethnic confrontation.
According to him, various ethnic groups, including Kusasis, continue to coexist peacefully throughout the greater Mamprugu-Zozugu area because the Nayiri believes all residents deserve protection, justice, and dignity regardless of ethnicity.
The traditional leadership further stated that the Nayiri has on several occasions advised successive governments on practical approaches to achieving lasting peace in the Bawku Traditional Area.
They maintained that the proposals submitted by the Nayiri are well documented and should be seriously considered if the government is genuinely committed to ending the conflict.
The Nayiri consequently called on the Government of Ghana, the international community, civil society organisations, religious leaders, traditional authorities, and human rights institutions to urgently pay attention to developments surrounding the Bawku crisis.
