Eight Months After Otumfuo Mediation Report; President Mahama Launches GH¢1bn Bawku Revitalization Fund

Eight months after the presentation of the Otumfuo mediation report, President John Dramani Mahama has set in motion the implementation of the GH¢1 billion Bawku Revitalization Fund.

President Mahama said the government’s decision to activate the fund follows the progress made since the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, presented his mediation report in December 2025.

The Fund will support infrastructure rehabilitation, education, healthcare, road networks, and economic empowerment programmes across Bawku and neighbouring districts.

At a formal inauguration at the Presidency on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, the President named a five-member committee to oversee the Fund’s disbursement and project execution, signalling a major step toward rebuilding the conflict-ravaged municipality and its surrounding districts.

The committee is chaired by Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson. Its members are Mahama Ayariga, Member of Parliament for Bawku Central; Cletus Abugri, Chief of Tempane; Akamugri Donatus Atanga, Upper East Regional Minister; and Dr Thomas Winsum Anabah, Member of Parliament for Garu.

The blend of national, regional, and traditional leadership reflects the multi-stakeholder approach that underpinned the Otumfuo Mediation Committee’s own engagement process.

Implementation
President Mahama noted that the Fund was a direct outcome of the mediation led by the Asantehene. The report not only charted a path toward peace but also recommended concrete development interventions to address the root causes of the protracted conflict. The President emphasised that the area would no longer be short-changed in national development.

Funding secured
The President confirmed that funding for the initiative had been fully secured, allowing implementation to proceed without delay.

“There was an eruption then, but things have calmed,” President Mahama observed. “I’m happy to receive the report that Bawku is safer; it’s calmer, it’s quieter. That peace is the foundation upon which we now build.”

Reviving stalled projects
The prolonged conflict had severely disrupted public services and halted major development projects, including the Tamli Dam project, a critical water and irrigation scheme. With relative peace restored, the government is now prioritising the revival of these stalled initiatives.