In what is fast turning into a crisis of confidence, the Kusasi people from the Bawku enclave are raising their voices in frustration, anger, and betr
In what is fast turning into a crisis of confidence, the Kusasi people from the Bawku enclave are raising their voices in frustration, anger, and betrayal against the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and its leadership, including President John Dramani Mahama, the Minister for Defence, Dr. Edward Omane Boamah, and the Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak.
Months after sweeping all six parliamentary seats in the Kusaug Traditional Area during the 2024 elections on the promise of peace and stability, the region remains deeply engulfed in deadly conflict, with critics now accusing the NDC of deception and selective governance.
The breaking point came last week when the Ghana Armed Forces reportedly demolished the statue of Zugran Asigri Abugrago Azoka II, a revered symbol of Kusaug heritage and identity.
The statue’s destruction was widely condemned by residents, who interpreted the act as a calculated assault on their cultural dignity under the guise of state security operations.
This symbolic act appears to have re-ignited deeper anger over the government’s overall handling of the Bawku conflict, which many say has worsened under the current administration.
Once limited to Bawku Central, the violence has since expanded into neighbouring villages and surrounding communities, with reports of rising civilian casualties, property destruction, and the breakdown of community structures.
Campaign Promises Versus Reality
During the 2024 election campaign, the NDC mounted an aggressive narrative that accused the then-governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) of fomenting and failing to contain the unrest in Bawku.
President John Mahama, in particular, repeatedly assured residents that peace and development would return under an NDC government.
He claimed that Bawku had only seen lasting peace during his previous tenure and promised to restore that calm.
That rhetoric, powerful and emotive, resonated deeply with the people of Kusaug who were already weary from years of conflict and instability.
The NDC’s message won them a landslide victory across the six constituencies in the region. It was a historic show of trust, support, and political loyalty.
But nearly seven months after assuming power, that trust appears to have been betrayed.
Accusations of Ethnic Bias and Selective Security
Critics allege that the NDC-led government’s security interventions have been anything but neutral.
Some residents have accused security forces of conducting biased operations—providing escort and protection to one ethnic faction while targeting the other.
“There are two parties in this conflict, but the government seems to have chosen a side,” said a community elder in Bawku who wished to remain anonymous. “How do you promise peace and then allow one side to be vulnerable while the other is protected?”
Many are also pointing fingers at the very officials who once passionately decried the NPP’s approach to Bawku.
They now accuse the NDC of perpetuating the same, if not worse, conditions.
The disappointment is especially acute because of the NDC’s previous positioning as a party that “understood” the grievances of Kusaug.
Comparisons with the Previous Administration
Some residents, surprisingly, are now reassessing the NPP’s record in Bawku.
Although far from perfect, they argue that at least the violence was somewhat contained under the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration.
Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, despite being vilified during the last campaign for allegedly favouring his Mamprusi ethnic group, is now being re-evaluated by some Kusaug residents who feel he did more to maintain institutional balance and protect civilians.
Call for Accountability and New Political Direction
The wave of public anger has birthed a movement advocating for political independence from Ghana’s two dominant parties—the NDC and NPP.
With hashtags like #JusticeForKusaug, #NoMoreLies, and #Independent2028 trending on local media platforms, a call is growing louder: that the people of Kusaug should abandon partisan loyalties and chart their own political course.
A Plea to the Government: Enough Public Relations, More Action
The NDC leadership is also being criticized for its perceived over-reliance on social media and press statements, rather than engaging in meaningful on-ground conflict resolution.
While the efforts of traditional leaders like the Asantehene have been acknowledged, many believe real peace can only be brokered through sincere and consistent engagement by state actors.
A Region in Crisis, a Government on Trial
With reports of rising death tolls, displaced families, and disrupted livelihoods, the situation in Bawku and the greater Kusaug area is now being seen as a major litmus test for the NDC’s governance credibility.
If promises of peace and development continue to remain unfulfilled, the political consequences in 2028 could be severe.
COMMENTS