Andrew Egyapa Mercer (Left) President John Mahama (Right)

A former Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, Andrew Egyapa Mercer, has slammed President John Dramani Mahama for allegedly playing politics with the ongoing conflict at Bawku, in the Upper East Region of Ghana.

He urged political figures to refrain from interfering in the Bawku conflict, while recommending that the long-standing security issue be resolved by employing a united, non-partisan approach devoid of political interests.

The former Sekondi MP lamented how some politicians have allegedly taken advantage of the conflict to further their own agendas.

He said this during a discussion on JoyNews’ Newsfile on April 12, 2025.

“We the politicians must take our hands off the Bawku situation and let us work together,” Egyapa Mercer said.

He noted that such interference only serves to aggravate tensions in a region already plagued by instability.

“I cringe when matters of national importance and national security are politicised. We know the problems of the Sahel, and can’t understand (sic) how any of our leaders would exploit the situation for political gain,” he said.

He further accused President John Dramani Mahama of using the conflict as part of his campaign during the 2024 general elections.

He stressed that it is important to view the Bawku conflict as a national issue rather than a political opportunity.

VPO/AE

Meanwhile, catch up on the concluding part of the story of Fort William, where children were sold in exchange for kitchenware, others, below: