Bawku naba bets on Bawumia
-To use unifying qualities to end Bawku conflicts
The Overlord of the Kusaug Traditional Area in the Upper East Region, Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, has voiced his confidence in the leadership abilities of Vice-President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, expressing optimism for a peaceful and prosperous Ghana under his presidency.
The Bawkunaba, as he is known, cited several qualities exhibited by Vice-President Dr Bawumia that he believes are essential for effective leadership, including humility, respect, calmness, unity, and genuine commitment to the people.
Speaking during a visit by the Vice-President, a speech read on behalf of Naba Asigri Abugrago Azoka II conveyed high expectations for Dr. Bawumia’s potential impact on the prolonged Bawku conflict.
The Overlord expressed hope that Vice-President Dr Bawumia would play a crucial role in bringing a definitive end to the Bawku conflict, fostering unity between the Kusaasis and Mamprusis for the collective progress of the Kusaug and Mamprugu regions.
He assigned the task to Vice-President Dr Bawumia, stating, “I have no doubt that you can and will successfully deliver this to the glory of Kusaug and Mamprugu in particular and Ghana as a whole.”
Congratulating Dr. Bawumia on winning the flagbearership contest of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Naba Azoka II referred to him as his son and the first son of the North to be the Presidential Candidate of the party.
He recalled Dr. Bawumia’s visit to the Bawku palace during his selection as the Running Mate of the NPP and expressed happiness about his achievements.
The Overlord also acknowledged Dr. Bawumia’s positive response to concerns raised about the Bawku Road, emphasizing the constructive engagement that led to the commencement of construction the road.
Eulogizing the Vice-President, the Bawkunaba highlighted Dr. Bawumia’s good traits for leadership and commended his progress in politics.
The Overlord’s observations focused on humility, respect, calmness, unity, and genuine commitment to the people as qualities that make Dr. Bawumia well-suited for leadership.
In response, Dr. Bawumia expressed concern about the longstanding conflicts between Kusasis and Mamprusis over chieftaincy disputes in the area.
Dr. Bawumia, referring to himself as a son of the North, emphasized the need for peace and harmony, pledging to work towards resolving the conflicts and fostering unity.
The Vice-President acknowledged the devastating impact of the conflicts, leading to loss of lives and disrupting economic activities and development in Bawku.
Despite the historical intermarriage and linguistic similarities between Kusasis and Mamprusis, Dr. Bawumia recognized the challenges posed by the conflicts and urged for collective efforts to achieve lasting peace.
Addressing the constitutional guidelines for resolving chieftaincy disputes, Dr. Bawumia emphasized that violence and killings cannot provide solutions.
He committed to respecting the constitution as President and ensuring a peaceful and secure state in Ghana.
Highlighting the essential connection between peace, unity, and development, Dr. Bawumia stressed that addressing poverty and underdevelopment requires a stable and conflict-free environment.
He expressed his vision for contributing immensely to uplifting people from poverty and underdevelopment as President, underlining the significance of peace in achieving development goals.
Dr. Bawumia urged the youth to focus on advocating for their needs, such as jobs, education, healthcare, and infrastructure, rather than engaging in conflicts.
The Vice-President used the opportunity to list various development projects undertaken by the NPP in the area, including the Bolga-Bawku road and the construction of Agenda 111 district hospitals in Grau, Tempane, and Pusiga.
Accompanied by a government delegation, including Interior Minister Ambrose Dery, Minister of Chieftaincy, Religion, and Culture Steven Asamoah Boateng, National Chairman of NPP Steven Ayesu Ntim, and several Members of Parliament from the northern part of the country, Dr. Bawumia reiterated his commitment to fostering peace, unity, and development in the region.
