KPC Alleges Government Complicity in Bawku Crisis, Defends Kusasi Sovereignty

In a passionate address at the Accra International Press Center, Rev. Prof. John Azumah, President of the Kusaug Peoples Congress (KPC), highlighted the ongoing tension and unrest in Bawku, accusing the Ghanaian government of complicity and inaction. The event, titled “Bawku Remains Volatile,” centered on the KPC’s concerns over renewed violence in Bawku, which they attribute to what they consider deliberate and unlawful actions by the government.

Azumah condemned recent government decisions, citing the government's reversal of an arrest warrant for a Mamprusi figure, Seidu Abagre, after President Akufo-Addo’s visit to Nalerigu. This development, he asserted, emboldened Abagre to return to Bawku in defiance of the region's longstanding chief, Zugraan Bawku Naba Azoka II, whom the Kusasi people regard as the legitimate authority of Bawku.

The KPC President expressed frustration at the government’s invitation to the Asantehene to mediate the conflict. "What is there to mediate?” Azumah questioned, referencing the Supreme Court ruling that affirms Azoka II's position. The Kusasi people, he noted, will not tolerate any attempt to challenge their sovereignty or legitimize the Mamprusis’ disputed claims to the chieftaincy.

Azumah further decried the portrayal of Mamprusi claims as historical fact, asserting that the Kusasis have centuries-old roots in Bawku and are the traditional custodians of the land. He criticized the government for “taunting” Kusasis with suggestions to seek legal redress, despite past court rulings that upheld Kusasi claims, which the Mamprusis have, according to Azumah, consistently ignored.

The KPC underscored its commitment to defending Kusasi sovereignty, rejecting any mediation or negotiation that would undermine their identity or autonomy. “The sovereignty of the Kusasi people will never be a subject of mediation or negotiation—not today, not tomorrow, not ever!” Azumah declared.

With the escalation of tensions in Bawku, the Kusaug Peoples Congress has called on Ghanaians and the government to recognize the rights of the Kusasi people and respect their traditions and leadership, which they vow to protect resolutely.