Bawku Chieftaincy Dispute: ADAM-GH Unhappy Over Killing Of Innocent Souls Due To Neglect Of Court’s Ruling

A civil society group that anchors proper democratic principles, ensures the rule of law, Anchoring Democracy Advocacy Movement Ghana (ADAM-GH) has expressed their displeasure over why should Bawku retrogress and innocent lives be lost due to the lack of enforcement of the court’s ruling.

According to the group, the Judiciary in their jurisprudential wisdom has executed their mandated role with excellence and ensured closure on the Bawku Chieftaincy matter with a historic RULING.

The group added that Various committees set up by previous Governments led by prominent Traditional Leaders in the country including experienced judges with high level of integrity doing due diligence by taking into consideration every argument from both Kusaasis and Mamprusis over the years and have passed a historic ruling on Bawku Chieftaincy Dispute in 1958 (64 years ago) by High court.

ADAM-GH that fight corruption, promote good governance and ensure protection of fundamental human rights, at a press conference in Kumasi revealed that in 2003, the Supreme court passed it final ruling on the Bawku Chieftaincy Dispute in favor of Kusaasis and banned Mamprusis not to return to the Supreme Court with the same issue.

The group further revealed that the Executive- running government, has issued statements in tandem with the Supreme Court RULING, but “LAME DUCK/LACK” in the ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.

The Legislature, according to ADAM-GH, as a LAW MAKING Realm, ought as an institutional responsibility, to make a legislatively connected submissions to help “silence the guns” in Bawku, and without timidity refer to the Supreme Court RULING and the URGENT NEED for ENFORCEMENT.

The civil society organization extended its gratitude to the President of the Republic Nana Addo Dankwa Akuffo-Addo for exhibiting leadership by calling a spade a spade with regards to the Supreme Court ruling on the Bawku Chieftaincy saga.

“We will also appreciate the Minister of Interior Hon. Ambrose Derry, Minister of Defence Hon. Dominic Nitiwol, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akufo Dampare and Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) VR Amoamah who visited Bawku to assess the situation for themselves” they noted.

Below is the unedited press statement

PRESS STATEMENT BY Anchoring Democracy Advocacy Movement Ghana (ADAM-GH).

INSTITUTIONAL ARMS OF GOVERNANCE, THE “FOUR DECADE- LONG BAWKU CIVIL UNREST:

The Judiciary in their jurisprudential wisdom has executed their mandated role with excellence and ensured closure on the Bawku Chieftaincy matter with a historic *RULING*. Various committees set up by previous Governments led by prominent Traditional Leaders in the country, very experienced judges with high level of integrity doing due diligence, taking into consideration every argument from both Kusaasis and Mamprusis over the years and with their wisdom passed a historic ruling on Bawku Chieftaincy Dispute in 1958 (64 years ago) by High court. Subsequently in 2003, the Supreme court passed it final ruling on Bawku Chieftaincy Dispute in favor of Kusaasis and banned Mamprusis not to return to the Supreme Court with the same issue. Why should Bawku retrogress and innocent lives be lost due to the lack of enforcement of the court’s ruling?

The Executive- running government, has issued statements in tandem with the Supreme Court RULING, but “LAME DUCK/LACK” in the ENFORCEMENT OF THE LAW.

The Legislature, as a LAW MAKING Realm, ought as an institutional responsibility, to make a legislatively connected submissions to help “silence the guns”in Bawku, and without timidity refer to the Supreme Court RULING and the URGENT NEED for ENFORCEMENT.

ADAM-GH as a civil society organization would like to extend our gratitude to the President of the Republic Nana Addo for exhibiting leadership by calling a spade a spade with regards to the Supreme Court ruling on the Bawku Chieftaincy saga. We will also appreciate the Minister of Interior Hon. Ambrose Derry, Minister of Defence Hon. Dominic Nitiwol, Inspector General of Police (IGP) Dr. George Akufo Dampare and Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) VR Amoamah who visited Bawku to assess the situation for themselves. This shows their commitment in ensuring peace and security in Bawku and we are so grateful. Our appreciation will not be complete without extending the same to the leadership and the entire membership of the National House of Chiefs especially the President of the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs and the President of the National House of Chiefs whose recognition of Bawku Naba Zurgraan Abograbo Asigri Azoka II at session with the President in Kumasi. The President of the National House of Chiefs appreciated the Interior Minister Hon. Ambrose Derry emphatic statement that Bawku paramountcy is not in dispute.

ADAM-GH monitored the meeting between the Ministers and security high commands IGP, CDS, Zug-ran and the Kusaasi youth in Bawku. The interior Minister, Hon. Ambrose Derry and Defense Minister Hon. Dominic Nitiwol made a categorical statement that Bawku Chieftaincy is not in dispute and that they as Ministers of state stand by the Supreme Court ruling and the President’s Pronouncement. The minister cautioned Pusiga Naba not to talk about Chieftaincy matters because there’s nothing like chieftaincy disputes in Bawku. The interior Minister told the Mamprusis to go back to the Supreme Court if they disagree with the ruling. Now the question is, why should someone disagreement with the Supreme Court ruling led to the death of over sixty people and up to now the law enforcement agencies could not enforce the laws?

what is the law saying about someone disobeying the ruling of the Supreme Court?

What punishment should be giving to someone whose lawlessness or actions led to the death of innocent people?

What is the security afraid of in enforcing the laws?

What precedence are we setting ahead of future ruling of the Supreme Court on similar matters?

Should Bawku retrogress in terms of development just because some people decided to act with impunity?
As a civil society organization we do not believe that the law enforcement agencies need to be lenient with law breakers or criminality. All state agencies who matters in Chieftaincy affairs has spoken consistently enough. Government should cease the talk and walk the talk.
The President of the National House of Chiefs on the 5th of October 2022 appreciation of the interior Minister’s emphatic statement that zugraan Abugrago Asigri Azoka II the Overlord of Kusaug traditional area is the legitimate traditional Leader should be enough to call for the enforcement of law.
The statement was made during a visit of the President of Ghana Nana Addo to the National house of chiefs in their head office in Otumfuor Palace KUMASI in the Ashante Region.

ADAM-GH has been consistently speaking out the hard truth that many people were afraid to talk about just for only mischievous characters calling themselves security experts to be misleading the general public from the truth. This is once again great success chalked by ADAM-GH but our ultimate aim is to see everlasting peace in Bawku when Mamprusis and Kusaasis reunite as brothers and sisters. We are therefore appealing to our colleagues Civil society organizations and security experts to always do due diligence before coming out to comment on conflict related issues. We are calling on those security experts who misled the general public from beginning to humbly apologize to Ghanaians and the people of Bawku for being very unprofessional talking about certain sensitive issues ignorantly. Their ignorance and unprofessional ultrances worsen the security situation in Bawku and thank God they have completely taken it back.

This is the time the law must be fully enforced. All the relevant state institutions have done their part. What is left now is for the law enforcement agencies to do their work. Nobody should carry himself as regent in Bawku and I believe this is the only way to bring the Bawku Chieftaincy conflict to a total closure.

We are also calling on H.E Dr. Mamuud Bawumia who is a son from the North, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana and Chairman of the Police Council to face the bull by the horns and add his voice to the status quo regarding the enforcement of the Supreme Court ruling. As a Vice President who is seeking to lead his party as Flag bearer and if possible succeed your boss as President of Ghana, your loud silence on this over a year long conflict between your two brothers Kusaasis and Mamprusis is doing more harm than good. Charity they say begins at home. When leaders fail to solve problems,it is likely the problems will turn to lead the leaders and give them painful directions.

Signed:

John Kwame Addu Jack Director of Research and media relations ADAM-GH. Contact: 0507629533 / 054 452 6676

Ibrahim A Mumuni Director of Operations ADAM-GH.
Contact: 0243486397 / 0545270290

Source: Muhammed Faisel Mustapha