Prominent Ghanaian public servant and youth leader, Osman Abdulai Ayariga, has added his voice to renewed calls for peace following the presentation of the Bawku Peace Mediation Report by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, to President John Dramani Mahama.
Osman Ayariga, who is the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Youth Authority (NYA) and also serves as Deputy National Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), took to social media to make a heartfelt appeal for unity, drawing from his own personal background.
In a Facebook post after the historic presentation, Ayariga revealed his dual heritage, stating that his father is Kusasi while his mother is Mamprusi—the two ethnic groups at the center of the long-standing conflict in Bawku.
“Father – Kusasi.
Mother – Mamprusi.
Where do I stand in times of conflict between the two tribes?
I have no option than to stand for PEACE,” he wrote.
He further expressed hope that the mediation report would mark a turning point in the decades-old conflict, adding:
“Let this be the end of a long protracted conflict.
Let peace prevail.
Peace has won.
Bawku has won.”
Osman Ayariga’s comments resonated strongly with remarks made earlier by the Asantehene during the presentation of the mediation report. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II emphasized the shared heritage between the Kusasi and Mamprusi, using the family background of Ayariga’s elder brother, Mahama Ayariga, the Majority Leader of Parliament, as a symbol of unity.
“My son, Mahama Ayariga, is from both Kusasi and Mamprusi, so they are one people and should not fight,” Otumfuo stated.
The Asantehene reiterated the need for dialogue, mutual understanding, and reconciliation as the only sustainable path to peace in Bawku.
With the mediation report now in the hands of President Mahama, many Ghanaians hope that the combined voices of traditional authority, political leadership, and influential youth figures like Osman Ayariga will finally bring lasting peace to Bawku and its surrounding communities.
