Afia Pokua, commonly known as Vim Lady in the media circle, has tackled President John Dramani Mahama over the ongoing conflicts in Bawku.
According to Vim Lady, Bawku residents are dying like fowls, and President John Dramani Mahama is also to blame.
Vim lady emphasised that the Bawku conflict has been reduced to a political fight instead of a joint effort by the NDC and the NPP to deal with the issue.
Speaking on her “Egyaso Gyaso” show on Okay FM, Vim Lady stated, “Now, anybody who has evil intentions can take advantage of the Bawku conflict and escalate things.
“And President Mahama, you are part of the whole thing, so take action, because it’s not everything we must politicise. That’s why people are questioning President Mahama.
The Ghanaian media personality further cited President Mahama’s remarks in opposition when he claimed that when the National Democratic Congress (NDC) is in power, there is peace in Bawku.
She noted that it had been seven months since the NDC government in office, yet the Bawku conflict persists.
Vim Lady added, “Because they’ve used the conflict for politics, claiming that if the NDC comes to power, they’ll solve it. But the NDC is in power now, and still, seven months on, we haven’t been able to resolve it.
This should have been a joint fight between the NDC and NPP, without politics. But now people are dying like fowls”.
“What you said is now haunting you. And people are still dying, including students”, she reiterated.
Meanwhile, President John Dramani Mahama has boldly stated that Ghana cannot accept the recent killing of students in school in the ongoing Bawku conflict.
President Mahama articulated that the recent killings undermine the progress made by the Otumfuo-led mediation committee working to restore peace in Bawku..
Speaking at the Jubilee House during a courtesy call by the Overlord of the Gonja Kingdom, Mahama stated, “We cannot accept this current situation where students are shot in school and killed. We can’t accept the current situation where teachers and public officers have all run away from Bawku because they are afraid for their lives,” the President stated.
Mahama added that the military’s role in the area has now shifted from peacekeeping to peace enforcement following his directive.
He added, “That means they are going to be a bit more robust with anybody who is involved in criminality”.
Also, President Mahama, speaking to the Overlord of Mamprugu, Naa Yiri, lamented that Bawku, which was once a prosperous commercial centre, is now a pale shadow of itself.
He noted that the conflict has affected the Mamprusi, Kusasi, Moeshies, Hausas, and all other ethnic groups living in the area.
Speaking at the Jubilee House during a visit by a delegation from the Nayiri, John Mahama added, “I cannot speak of peace and development in the North without touching on the situation in Bawku. The protracted conflict in Bawku continues to pose a grave challenge to our national peace and regional harmony.
Bawku, which has always been the booming and prosperous commercial centre, is now a pale shadow of itself. Nobody is happy about this situation. Youth move around on motorcycles with sophisticated assault rifles and fire indiscriminately.
The conflict has affected everyone, Mamprusi, Kusasi, Moeshies, Hausas, and all other ethnic groups living in the area. Many professionals have fled the area, and public service workers are refusing postings to Bawku,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, resumed his mediation efforts between the two factions involved in the ongoing Bawku conflict.
Background
The Bawku conflict escalated following the return of rival Chief Alhaji Seidu Abagre from exile.
Alhaji Seidu Abagre fled Bawku after an arrest warrant was issued against him; however, the High Court in Kumasi on October 17, 2024, nullified the warrant, allowing him to resurface.
In the past weeks, fresh violence has exploded in Bawku after a student of Bawku Senior High School was apparently pulled from his dormitory and shot dead by unknown attackers.
The residence of the Member of Parliament for Bawku and Majority Leader, Mahama Ayariga, was also reportedly set on fire.
Also, there is the recent killing of a Kusasi chief in Kumasi, which has sparked a series of reprisal attacks.
Reports suggest two more individuals were reportedly killed in Kumasi in connection with the chieftaincy tensions.
Despite increased efforts by security forces to suppress the unrest and safeguard commuters, armed assailants continue to unleash deadly attacks.
However, the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) on August 1, 2025 has launched a major intelligence-led search operation aimed at flushing out armed bandits and retrieving illegal weapons in the conflict-hit municipality.
Also, over 200 military personnel have been deployed within the Bawku municipality, and an additional 200 troops are stationed across the Upper East Region.
Watch the video below:
God bless you Vim Lady pic.twitter.com/sGV3c4jejB
— Harrydarling💖 (@AcheampongHarry) August 2, 2025