The Bono Regional Organizer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Evans Afari Gyan Yeboah, has defended recent comments made by the Minister for Food and Agriculture, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, on the protracted Bawku conflict, insisting that they were based on facts and not tribal sentiments.
Mr. Yeboah, in a statement titled “Bold and Hard Truth!!! Never Tribal”, argued that criticisms branding Dr. Acheampong’s remarks as tribal or politically insensitive were misguided. According to him, the Minister’s intervention highlighted the realities of the Kusasi-Mamprusi tensions in Bawku and their wider implications for national security, development, and Ghana’s democratic process.
He noted that Dr. Acheampong’s concerns centered on three key areas — protecting state institutions and electoral integrity in volatile zones, cautioning against political actors exploiting ethnic tensions for personal gain, and recognizing the potential impact of continued instability on the 2028 general elections.
“Labeling this as tribal is to ignore the truth in favor of a politically correct smokescreen. Ghana must face its ethnic-based conflicts honestly if peace is to be restored,” Mr. Yeboah stressed.
The statement further emphasized that the Bawku crisis should not be oversimplified as a mere tribal issue, since it is rooted in history, politics, and chieftaincy disputes dating back decades. It added that the conflict continues to affect security, education, healthcare, and economic activity across the Upper East Region.
Mr. Yeboah maintained that describing the conflict only in tribal terms was “intellectually lazy and strategically dangerous,” urging stakeholders to confront the structural causes of the crisis.
He praised Dr. Acheampong for showing the courage to speak on an issue many political leaders have avoided, adding that peace in Bawku could only be achieved if leaders are truthful and committed to national cohesion above partisan or personal interests.
“Let us focus not on who said it, but on whether it is true — and whether it will help bring lasting peace to Bawku and credible elections in 2028 and beyond,” the Bono Regional Organizer added.
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