Depoliticise the Bawku Conflict and Support IGP’s Peace Agenda – Security Analyst Urges Political Leaders

Security analyst Emmanuel Kotin has made a passionate appeal to Ghana’s political actors, particularly the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP), to refrain from politicising peace efforts in Bawku and instead support the peacebuilding strategies being pursued by the Inspector-General of Police, Dr. Christian Tetteh Yohuno.

Speaking in a telephone interview on 3FM’s Hot Edition with Alfred Ocansey, Kotin defended the IGP’s recent statement during his visit to the conflict-ridden area. Dr. Yohuno had expressed his intention to prioritise the youth of Bawku in future police recruitment efforts as part of broader plans to foster peace and stability.

“Just a simple comment from the IGP about employing the youth from Bawku triggered a press conference from the Minority. These pressers are now becoming more like one-two minute stunts and are losing their real impact,” Kotin said.

He praised the IGP’s approach as a culturally aware and diplomatic form of policing, tailored to the unique sensitivities of the Bawku conflict. Kotin also questioned the backlash, noting that the IGP had made no ethnic distinctions in his promise to support Bawku’s youth.

“When he said he would prioritise youth, did he say Kusasi or Mamprusi? Are they not all from Bawku? It’s not everything we must politicise. People have suffered enough,” he stressed.

Kotin emphasized that region-specific recruitment drives have precedent and are designed to address long-standing marginalisation, not promote bias. He pointed out that Bawku’s ongoing conflict has left the region behind in terms of national development, making targeted peace initiatives all the more vital.

He criticized the Minority, particularly the NPP, for what he described as unproductive posturing.

“The Minority is acting like they’ve been in opposition for a decade. It’s only been three months since they left power after eight years. What did they do to solve this conflict while in government?” he asked.

Kotin also called on former Vice President and NPP presidential candidate, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to play a unifying role given his ties to the region.

“With Dr. Bawumia being a Mamprusi and a leader in the NPP, this should be a moment for real peace-building. Now is the time for restraint and unity,” he urged.

He concluded by appealing for bipartisan support for traditional leaders like the Asantehene Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who is leading a peace delegation to Bawku.

“I plead with both the NPP and NDC to think of the people of Bawku. Depoliticise this conflict and let the Otumfuo and his team work. The people have endured enough,” Kotin concluded.

The IGP’s initiative has been widely interpreted as a step toward rebuilding trust between law enforcement and local communities, a crucial element in sustaining long-term peace in the troubled region.

by Charles McCarthy, Accra