Former Central Regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party, Kwabena Duncan, has chastised ex-president John Mahama for inciting the residents of Bawku in the upper east region against the New Patriotic Party.

Addressing a durbar of chiefs and people at the Pusiga Naba's palace as part of his four-day tour of the Upper East Region, John Mahama, said the Bawku conflict halts anytime the NDC takes over the administration of the country. 

“If you look at the history, you will find that anytime the NDC is in government, there is peace in Bawku and surrounding areas. As soon as we hand over to our brothers, then trouble starts,” he said.  

He said, given the nod in the upcoming elections, peace in Bawku would be the number one priority of his government.

“We are going to work with the chiefs, the religious leaders, and everybody else to make sure that we establish sustainable peace in Bawku.” 

He said there were abandoned classrooms, administration, and hostel blocks in schools, and the same was true with hospital projects across the country.   

“These were built with taxpayers’ money, and if we do not complete it, then, it means that the money that has been put in there is locked up without giving any service to the people. So, we are going to concentrate and finish all those projects so that we can use them,” he said. 

But commenting on John Mahama's claims on Peace FM on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, Kwamena Duncan condemned the statement by the former first gentleman of the land, adding that the latter should know better and refrain from such inciteful comments.

"The NDC flagbearer, John Mahama during his four-day tour of the Upper East stated that when the NDC is in power, the Bawku disturbance ceases. But when the NPP is in power, the disturbance resumes. A former president speaking this way. What he even said is factually wrong. If you look at the years, there have been flare-ups in Bawku from the PNDC era to the NDC regime under Rawlings and even in 2016. There was a flare-up, and it rolled into 2017. So, what Mahama said was a lie.

"But why will a former president who knows the security situation in Bawku make such an utterance in an area which is so volatile? Does it mean that when the NPP comes to power and the NDC is in opposition, they decide to incite and stoke a fire in the Bawku conflict? Is my reasoning logical? I keep saying that most Ghanaians should have known who John Mahama is by now," he said.

KA/OGB