The National Peace Council says encouraging progress has been recorded in Kumasi following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Mamprusi and Kusasi representatives with both communities demonstrating a renewed commitment to coexistence.
This was highlighted during a follow-up engagement with women and youth groups from the two sides, held in Kumasi, where stakeholders reaffirmed their readiness to consolidate gains made so far.
Most Reverend Professor Emmanuel Asante, former chairman of the National Peace Council, said the relative calm in Kumasi since the MoU was a clear indication that the dialogue process was yielding results.
He noted that no major incidents had been recorded, reflecting improved cooperation among the groups.
He, however, stressed that sustaining the fragile peace would require visible acts of reconciliation beyond verbal assurances.
“Mere verbal commitments to peace are not enough. We need to demonstrate, through practical steps, that we are truely committed to peace,” he told participants.
Prof. Asante encouraged the youth to embrace the mindset that the peace of Bawku must also be their concern, urging them to undertake joint public activities that symbolise unity and reinforce the message that Mamprusi and Kusasi youth are “one people.”
Participants from both sides expressed strong desires for a peaceful environment that enables authorities to address the deeper roots of the Bawku conflict, dating back to the colonial era.
While acknowledging that the crisis cannot be fully resolved in Kumasi, the Peace Council reiterated that maintaining calm in the Ashanti capital remains critical for building trust and creating space for compromise.
Prof. Asante cited a participant who remarked that “somebody must be a ‘fool’ for others to be wise,” emphasising the importance of flexibility in peacebuilding.
He also pointed to growing recognition of shared ancestry between the two groups, with many acknowledging that “Mamprusi may have Kusasi blood; Kusasi may have Mamprusi blood,” a sentiment he said was helping shift attitudes toward peaceful coexistence.
Alhaji Abdul Raman Mumuni, Ashanti Regional Mamprusi Youth Chairman, reaffirmed the youth’s commitment to upholding calm and accepting any decision that may come from the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II.
He noted that instability in Bawku had already disrupted social life, making peace a necessity.
Mr Musah Salifu, the Mamprusi Youth Vice Chairman, described tensions in the Ashanti Region as a “mistake” that caused needless pain.
He stressed that in Kumasi, “Mamprusi and Kusasi are one people” and ready to do whatever is necessary to preserve peace.
