Hot SourceGeneral Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has criticised the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) for what he describes as the politicisation of tribal and religious tensions, particularly in the conflict-prone Bawku area.
Addressing journalists at a press conference in Accra, Mr Kodua expressed deep concern over the persistent loss of lives linked to ethnic violence in northern Ghana and accused the NDC of exacerbating these tensions in the lead-up to the 2024 general elections.
“Human lives are being lost each and every day. Innocent students are being murdered. Innocent citizens are also losing their lives— not because of any wrongdoing, but simply because of where they find themselves or the tribe they belong to,” he said.
Mr Kodua stated that the NDC, in its desperate attempt to win political power, deliberately introduced tribal and religious narratives into the political discourse—an act he believes has further divided communities and undermined peace efforts in Bawku.
He warned that issues of chieftaincy, ethnicity, and religion must be handled with extreme care by political actors, cautioning that such matters should not be used for propaganda or political gain.
“It should serve as a caution to the NDC government that in politics, it is not everything we allow propaganda and misrepresentation to lead us—especially when it comes to chieftaincy, religion, and ethnicity,” he noted.
Referencing campaign activities in 2024, Mr Kodua alleged that then-presidential candidate John Dramani Mahama made statements suggesting that an NDC-led government would swiftly resolve the Bawku conflict. He said such pronouncements only served to politicise the crisis, instead of contributing to peace.
“The then candidate, Mahama, made several pronouncements and sought to take advantage of the crisis in Bawku by accusing the then government, led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. He claimed that the crisis would be resolved under the NDC—yet we see the situation persist today,” he said.
According to the NPP General Secretary, tensions that escalated in the lead-up to the 2024 elections were not coincidental, but rather part of what he called a deliberate political strategy employed by the NDC.
While he stopped short of naming individuals involved in the alleged orchestration, Mr Kodua called on the current government to prioritise national unity over divisive politics.
As of the time of filing this report, there had been no official response from the NDC to the allegations.
The Bawku conflict, rooted in long-standing chieftaincy disputes and ethnic tensions, has proven a difficult issue for successive governments. Analysts and civil society groups continue to urge all political parties to support lasting peace processes devoid of partisan interference.
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