Let’s Be Clear: Is the Otumfuo-led Committee for Mediation or Arbitration in Bawku?

The conflict in Bawku has been going on for many years now, causing a lot of suffering to the people in the area. Recently, a committee led by Otumfuo was set up to help bring peace. Many people welcomed this, but others are confused or even losing trust because there hasn’t been any clear explanation about what exactly the committee is supposed to do.

What’s the difference between Mediation and Arbitration?

One of the main problems is that people don’t seem to understand the difference between mediation and arbitration. And this confusion is not only among ordinary people but also among politicians, the media, and even some so-called security experts.

Mediation is when a neutral person helps both sides talk to each other and try to agree on a solution. The mediator does not decide for them; it’s up to the two sides to reach an agreement.

Arbitration, on the other hand, is when both sides agree to let a neutral person listen to them and then make a decision for them. That decision is final, and they have to accept it, whether they like it or not.

Bawku People Deserve Clear Information

The people of Bawku deserve to know clearly if the Otumfuo-led committee is there to mediate or to arbitrate. If it’s mediation, the people should know it’s about dialogue and compromise, and not about waiting for someone to make a final decision. If it’s arbitration, they should be told straight up that the committee will make a binding decision that everyone must follow.

Some Security Experts and Media are Misleading the People

People who call themselves security experts, like Adib Saani and Emmanuel Habakuk Bombande, are part of the confusion. They are either speaking without properly understanding the difference between mediation and arbitration, or they are doing it just to stay in the news with Emmanuel Bunbande nursing the ambition of getting into the good graces of one party to the conflict in an ultimate bid to gain their trust and support for his political agenda in the region. Their half-baked comments are only making things worse.

The media, including TV stations and news outlets, are also failing the people. They don’t seem to have basic knowledge about conflict resolution or security analysis. If they did, they would have already pointed out the difference and demanded that the government explain the real role of the Otumfuo committee. Instead, they just let the wrong information spread without challenging it.

Politicians Are Using the Conflict for Their Own Benefit

Even worse, politicians who should know better, including the President, Members of Parliament, and other leaders from the area, are either pretending not to know the difference or just acting naïve. People like Mahama Ayariga, the MP for Bawku, have been telling their people to wait for a verdict from the mediation process, which is misleading. There’s no verdict in mediation — only dialogue and compromise.

This is not new. Both NPP and NDC politicians, from Mahama’s time to Akufo-Addo’s time, have used the same tactic to keep the people waiting while doing nothing meaningful about the conflict. They are more interested in using the conflict to gain votes and stay in power than in solving the problem.

Time to Stop the Games and Be Honest with the People

It’s time the government and all involved are honest with the people of Bawku. The role of the Otumfuo committee must be made clear once and for all. Is it mediation or arbitration? The people must know so they can stop waiting for things that will never happen.

In the end, peace can only come if there is honesty, dialogue, and understanding. The people of Bawku deserve real peace, not politics and confusion.