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 Let’s restore lasting peace to Bawku  …Asantehene appeals to factions

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Otumfuo Osei Tutu II (second from left) with Dr Omane Boamah (left) during the visit. With them are General Thomas Oppong-Peprah (right) and Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka

 The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, has agreed to mediate in the Bawku con­flict which has resulted in the deaths of many citizens.

Consequently, he called on all parties involved in the conflict to put aside their differences and work towards finding a peaceful solution.

He expressed his deep concern about the conflict and its potential to destroy the country’s unity and progress.

This development followed a meeting with a government delegation led by De­fence Minister, Dr Edward Omane Boamah and Interior Minister, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, at the Manhyia Palace in Kumasi, at the weekend.

The meeting was to discuss the ongo­ing conflict in Bawku in the Upper East Region, which has resulted in the loss of many lives and the displacement of thou­sands of people, and thus hindering the development of the area.

Dr Omane Boamah indicated that the government had been working to resolve the conflict through a combination of military and diplomatic efforts, which was underway to engage with the various parties involved in the conflict.

He acknowledged the pivotal role the As­antehene could play to resolve the conflict through traditional means as he had been very instrumental in leading the traditional aspect of peace process.

“The Asantehene has been the traditional leader who has been leading and finding traditional solution to disputes”, he said as he expressed the importance of chieftaincy in conflict resolution.

Dr Omane Boamah assured of the government’s commitment to complement the efforts of Asantehene with security intervention to restore peace.

He was optimistic that the collaboration between government and traditional leaders would yield a meaningful result.

In fact, the Bawku conflict is a long­standing ethnic and territorial dispute in the Upper East Region of Ghana, specifically in the Bawku Municipality.

The conflict revolves around a long-standing dispute between the Kusasi and Mamprusi ethnic groups over the own­ership of the Bawku area, with the Kusasi claiming to be the original inhabitants of the area, while the Mamprusi argue that they were given control of the land by the British colonial authorities.

That has also fuelled the competition for resources such as land, water, and econom­ic opportunities.

In the 1950s, the conflict began, during the colonial era, when the British authori­ties attempted to demarcate the boundary between the Kusasi and Mamprusi areas.

The conflict escalated in the 1980s, with clashes between the two groups resulting in loss of lives and property and continued in the 2000s, with periodic outbreaks of violence.

In 2022, the conflict flared up again with reports of clashes between the two groups, resulting in deaths and injuries.

And the clashes have been continuing, resulting in the displacement of thousands of people, with many forced to flee their homes and seek shelter in nearby towns and villages.

There have been reports of human rights abuses, including killings, injuries, and arrests, committed by both sides of the conflict.

Governments have intervened several times to try to resolve the conflict, includ­ing deploying security forces to the area and establishing a committee to investigate the conflict.

Traditional leaders from both sides of the conflict have also attempted to mediate a resolution, but so far, these efforts have been unsuccessful

One notable area of achievement of Asantehene has been his ability to use tradi­tional diplomacy in resolving and brokering peace in many instances across the country.

It is recalled the Asantehene was mandat­ed to lead a Committee of Eminent Chiefs that facilitated negotiation and mediation talks between the Andani and Abudu royal families, drawing and implementing a roadmap for the restoration of peace in the Kingdom of Dagbon.

The Asantehene was seen as the ideal lead to the conflict resolution process due to his reverence, leadership and impartiality

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 Heritage Month Ghana trends

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Since the institution of the Heri­tage Month celebration in Ghana, it has offered citizens opportuni­ties of a lifetime to learn about their cultures and lifestyles.

Ghana’s version is observed in the month of March, coinciding with the country’s Independence Day celebra­tions on March 6.

Heritage Month features festivals, food fairs, arts, crafts, and music events to highlight the economic and social value of preserving national heritage.

Though a brainchild of the Ghana Tourism Authority (GTA), the celebra­tion has been driven to greater heights by local media with the organisation of several events to create the needed euphoria.

Among the events are the Heritage Caravan and Back To Your Village Food Bazaar pow­ered by Accra-based Citi FM and Citi TV, Wear Ghana Festival and the Gɔbɛ festival powered by 3News.

The Heritage Caravan is a road trip which takes patrons across more than half of Ghana’s regions to offer a distinctive road trip that allows participants to explore the various re­gions of Ghana, providing an up-close encounter with the country’s histori­cal and cultural heritage.

In addition to these roles played by the media, news anchors and other presenters appear on screens immac­ulately garbed in locally made outfits, bringing out the beauty of our tradi­tions.

Today, The Spectator news­paper selected a few of the media personalities that are working to give the cel­ebration a global dimension to project the country.  

 By Andrew Nortey

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 MoMo vendor 24 murdered at Kwadaso

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• Mobile money shop
• Mobile money shop

 A disturbing crime has shaken the Kwadaso Onion market communi­ty in Kumasi, leaving family and friends grieving the loss of a young life.

Identified only as Junior, a 24-year-old mobile money vendor, was found murdered in his room on Saturday, March 8, 2025.

According to eyewitnesses, Junior had returned home the previous day with a substantial amount of money, over Gh¢20,000.

It was suspected that the killers might have been motivated by the large sum of money in Junior’s posses­sion.

A police source that confirmed this to The Spectator, said investigation has been launched into Junior’s mur­der, but so far, no arrests have been made.

The Kwadaso community is reeling in shock, calling for justice and an end to the atrocity that has claimed the life of a young and promising individ­ual.

Junior, is believed to be a native of Ejisu Onwe, and was known to his col­leagues and friends as a hardworking and diligent individual who worked at the Kumasi Race Course.

His tragic death serves as a stark reminder of the risks and challenges mobile money vendors faced.

The incident comes barely a month after Patricia Nimako, a 27-year-old Mobile Money (MoMo) vendor, was shot and killed at Krofrom, Kumasi in the Ashanti region by an unknown assail­ants.

The suspected armed robbers fled with the deceased cell phones and an amount of GH¢10,000 on Thursday, February 13, at approximately 3:00 p.m.

The two armed robbers reportedly stormed the kiosk where the deceased was operating and without any provo­cation shot her dead.

There has not been any arrest yet by the police.

 From Kingsley E. Hope , Kumasi

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 Learn how to prepare local dishes…Queen mothers urge young women

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• Some local dishes

 In a heartwarming display of inter­generational wisdom, queen moth­ers from local communities in the Obuasi enclave shared their expertise on how to prepare local diets with young ladies on the International Women’s Day event, courtesy of An­gloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine.

Beyond the fanfare, these revered women leaders took centre stage to impart a vital life skill: traditional cooking as they guided eager students and other young ladies through the art of preparing local delicacies.

In fact, the aroma of ‘Abunabunu’, ‘Aprapransa’, ‘Enuhu’, ‘Akaw’, ‘Tuo Zafi’ (TZ), among others, wafted through the air to the extent it could attract people from a distance, as the queen mothers entertained the young women with tales of resilience, entrepreneurship, and community building.

This year’s International Wom­en’s Day Celebration was under the theme: ‘Accelerate Action for Wom­en’s Equity.’

As the event drew to a close, the queen mothers gave words of wisdom upon their young guests.

From Nana Amoanima Dede, Queen mother of Adansi she stated that: “Never forget your roots, and always remember that the kitchen is not just a place for cooking, but for building connections and forging communi­ties.”

Nana Akua Dwum II, Queen moth­er of Edubiase, on her part urged the young ladies to learn how to prepare traditional dishes in order to preserve cultural heritage of the nation.

Earlier, the Managing Director of the mining company, Samuel Boakye Pobee, mentioned their readiness to roll out an “All-Women Apprentice­ship Programme, aimed at empow­ering young women in the Obuasi communities in entrepreneurship.”

He said the project would include women in basic technical skills and their capacity building to boost their employability to reshape perceptions of women’s roles in traditionally male-dominated industries.

According to the Managing Director, the mining company’s commitment “is to empower young people with specialised skills, and progressive knowledge to make them financially independent.”

The company, he indicated, was accelerating action towards wom­en’s equality at the Obuasi Mine and within host communities with the aim to build a foundation to create an inclusive and supportive business culture.

Mr Pobee expressed the need for innovative approaches and dedicated efforts to encourage and invest in women’s participation in all fields, including all levels of technical and operational areas and must be inten­tional and deliberate.”

 From Kingsley E. Hope, Obuasi

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