Former Special Prosecutor, Martin Amidu, has criticised the government’s handling of the Bawku Conflict mediation, describing the December 2025 presentation of the Asantehene’s Mediation Report at Jubilee House as a “gargantuan political scam.”

According to him, he is of the conviction that the process, the presentation of the Asantehene’s report at Jubilee House and the government’s subsequent statement were not grounded in law or the constitution.

'The report should bind us all' – Asantehene on peace efforts in Bawku

In his criticism of the government, Amidu suggested that the process was used as a political tool rather than as a genuine attempt to resolve the Bawku conflict.

“… In the absence of the government stating the legal basis of the Asantehene’s Mediation Report, I dare say that the concluding circus enacted and performed at the Jubilee House on 16 December 2025 and the Government of Ghana Statement on the Bawku Conflict Mediation Report of 17 October 2025 which have no constitutional or legal basis appears as a gargantuan political scam by the government on the Bawku Conflict to justify the needless deaths between 7 January 2025 and 16 December 2025 which in my estimation exceeds those of the past eight years under the previous regime,” he said in a statement dated December 18, 2025, and shared with GhanaWeb.

Amidu asserted that the mediation further undermined the constitutional processes needed to resolve issues pertaining to chieftaincy disputes.

“The Asantehene’s mediation whether pursuant to Nana Akufo-Addo’s request or President Mahama’s request is not a customary mediation under Asante tradition and customary law because the Bawku-Naba and the Nayiri are not subjects of the Asante Stool or residents of Asante to bring them under its customs.

“The Bawku-Naba and the Nayiri are Supreme Customary Rulers of their respective exclusive traditional areas in their own right for which reason the 1992 Constitution and the Chieftaincy Act provides for how disputes between them may be resolved and appealed against,” he argued.

The anti-corruption advocate, who questioned the revitalisation fund, also raised concerns about the use of state funds for conflict management.

He noted that it could become a tool for corruption and may not be used effectively for its intended purpose.

“The composition of the management of the 'One Billion Ghana Cedis (GHS1,000,000,000) Bawku Revitalisation Fund' and the high-level Committee Chaired by The Minister for Finance, ..., who also serves as the Acting Minister for Defence;... with the Upper East Regional Minister, and the Majority Leader who is the Member of Parliament for Bawku Central demonstrates how ineffective the utilization of the funds will be as it will be informed more by electoral politics than a reconciling and united national endeavour. It also smells of pure crony capitalism dressed as conflict resolution,” he noted.

Otumfuo issues stern warning to Cletus Avoka over Bawku conflict

Amidu also warned that “sycophancy and stomach politics will destroy and not help the legacy of President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) during this tenure of his government,” emphasising that “the 1992 Constitution demands at all times a government of laws, and not of men.”

Read the full statement below:



MAG/AE

What Cletus Avoka said that made Otumfuo warn him over Bawku conflict:

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