Mahama inaugurates committee to oversee GH¢1bn Bawku Revitalisation Fund

President John Dramani Mahama has inaugurated a five-member committee to oversee the GH¢1 billion Bawku Revitalisation Fund aimed at rebuilding infrastructure and restoring the Upper East town of Bawku to its former status as a major commercial centre.

The Fund will finance infrastructure projects and other interventions that the committee considers necessary for Bawku and surrounding communities affected by the prolonged conflict.

The committee is chaired by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Baah Forson, with Bawku Central MP and Minister-designate for Local Government, Religious and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, serving as a member.

The other members are Upper East Regional Minister Donatus Akamugri Atanga, Chief of Tempane Naba Abugri Cletus Akolwin and Garu MP Dr Thomas Winsum Anabah.

At the inauguration of the committee on Wednesday, President Mahama expressed confidence in its members, saying they would execute the assignment with the integrity and efficiency demonstrated throughout their public service careers.

The President recalled that on December 16, 2025, his administration received the report of the Otumfuo Mediation Committee on the Bawku conflict.

He said at the time, he called for an end to the violence and emphasised that the conflict would be addressed through lawful processes, in accordance with the Constitution and the laws of Ghana, while outstanding traditional matters could be handled through customary processes.

President Mahama acknowledged that the period following the receipt of the mediation report witnessed renewed tensions but commended the security services for their efforts to restore peace and stability to the area.

“It has taken quite some time, but I’m happy to receive reports that Bawku is safer. It’s quieter. We don’t hear gunshots again at night. The kind of murders that took place with impunity have abated, and at the time that I received the report, I announced the Bawku Revitalisation Fund to be administered by a Committee chaired by the Finance Minister,” he said.

He said the GH¢1 billion allocation for the Fund had been secured, creating an opportunity for the government to resume development projects and rebuild communities in the Bawku area.

According to President Mahama, the relative improvement in security provides an opportunity to begin implementing the revitalisation programme and restore Bawku's position as an important commercial hub.

He noted that the conflict had disrupted the deployment of National Service personnel and medical staff to the area, further affecting essential services.

The President also cited the Tamne Irrigation Dam project as an example of an important development initiative that had been stalled by insecurity.

He explained that the killing of an employee of the contractor working on the project forced the company to withdraw from the area, leaving a project intended to benefit four districts in the Bawku area incomplete.

President Mahama said the improved security situation now offered an opportunity for government and its partners to return to the area and continue stalled development projects.

He stressed that the Revitalisation Fund would be used for infrastructure and other areas considered appropriate by the committee, with several districts within the Bawku area expected to benefit.

Bawku traditional leaders pledge support

Speaking on behalf of the Bawku Naba, Chief of Tempane Naba Abugri Cletus Akolwin commended President Mahama for the investment being made in the Kosak area.

He said the prolonged conflict had severely disrupted infrastructure development and economic activities, leaving Bawku “a pale shadow of itself”.

“Your Excellency, we know that this conflict has taken some years, and that has brought infrastructure development and most of the usual activities to a halt,” he said.

“As such Bawku is a pale shadow of itself. We know with this huge investment, and with proper coordination, which we all promise, the town will get us back to his former glory.”

On behalf of the Bawku Naba, Naba Akolwin invited President Mahama to participate in the sod-cutting ceremony to mark the commencement of projects under the revitalisation programme.

He also reaffirmed the commitment of traditional leaders to sustaining peace in Bawku, pledging to do everything possible to create the conditions necessary for development and improved livelihoods in the area.