The Mamprugu Traditional Council has rejected the mediation report presented by Otumfuo Osei Tutu II to President John Dramani Mahama on the Bawku Chieftaincy conflict on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.
The Council described the report as “procedurally flawed, legally unsustainable, and wholly unacceptable.”
In a statement issued on December 17, 2025, His Royal Majesty, Tidugma Nayiri, Naa Bohugu Mahami Abdulai Sheriga, the Overlord of Mamprugu, distanced himself and the people of Mamprugu from the report, stressing that it does not reflect the engagements held with the mediator.
“I must state clearly and without reservation that the so-called report and recommendations does not reflect my engagements with Otumfuo, nor those of my duly constituted mediation team,” the Nayiri declared.
The Nayiri argued that the document presented by Otumfuo went beyond the scope of mediation, amounting to adjudication without jurisdiction.
“Otumfuo expressly described his role as that of a mediator and not an arbitrator. Notwithstanding this, the document purports to pass judgment and to prescribe measures for enforcement, acts wholly inconsistent with the nature, limits, and essence of mediation,” the statement read.
He further criticized the lack of agreed Terms of Reference for the process, noting that repeated requests by his mediation team were ignored.
“Despite repeated and formal requests by my mediation team, no Terms of Reference were ever provided to govern the mediation process,” he said, adding that this omission undermined the credibility of the entire exercise.
The Nayiri also questioned the fairness of the process, pointing out that Mamprugu was denied the opportunity to respond to conclusions reached.
“At no point were the parties invited to engage with, comment on, or respond to the conclusions said to have been reached. If any deliberations occurred, they were conducted entirely without the knowledge, participation, or consent of Mamprugu,” he stated.
Rejecting claims that he had agreed to the continued recognition of Aninchema as Bawku Naba, the Nayiri described such assertions as “entirely false.” He added that the report was “replete with factual inaccuracies, personal assertions attributed to the mediator, and a manifest imbalance in favour of one party’s narrative, while almost entirely omitting Mamprugu’s case.”
The statement expressed deep disappointment at the government’s reported intention to act swiftly on the document.
“I am further alarmed by statements attributed to His Excellency the President, suggesting that government intends to issue a definitive position within twenty-four hours based on this report. Such an approach, respectfully, will not advance the peace we all seek,” the Nayiri cautioned.
The statement further emphasised the Mamprugu’s commitment to peace, the Nayiri stressed that the mediation had ended in a deadlock, with no consensus reached.
“I stress that this so-called mediation ended in a clear deadlock, with no consensus reached between the parties,” he said, adding that while Mamprugu made concessions in good faith, these were “rejected outright by the Kusasi side, without any attempt to move toward the middle ground that mediation demands.”
The Nayiri urges calm among his people while reaffirming his dedication to dialogue and justice amid being law-abiding within Mamprugu.
“As I have always maintained, I stand firmly for peace and shall continue to pursue that path. However, peace cannot and will not be built upon injustice,” he stated,
