GH¢1bn Bawku Fund: NYA Boss Osman Ayariga Commends President Mahama

Prominent Ghanaian public servant and youth leader, Osman Abdulai Ayariga, has expressed profound gratitude to President John Dramani Mahama following the government’s announcement of a GH¢1 billion Bawku Revitalisation Fund aimed at rebuilding and restoring the conflict-hit area.

Mr. Ayariga, who serves as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the National Youth Authority (NYA) and Deputy National Youth Organizer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), shared his appreciation in a Facebook post shortly after the announcement.

“GH¢1 Billion for Bawku Recovery Fund! Thank you John Dramani Mahama. A President who cares! We are grateful!” he wrote.

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The Government of Ghana officially announced the establishment of the Bawku Revitalisation Fund in a statement signed by the Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, on Wednesday, December 17, 2025. The fund follows the endorsement of the Bawku Conflict Mediation Report presented by His Majesty Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, the Asantehene, after months of mediation efforts.

According to the statement, the GH¢1 billion fund will be disbursed over a three-year period from 2026 to 2028 and will focus on post-conflict reconstruction and socio-economic recovery in the Bawku area of the Upper East Region. Key priority areas include road infrastructure, healthcare and educational facilities, irrigation and dam projects to support year-round agriculture, security installations, as well as economic and commercial development projects.

President Mahama has further directed that the fund be overseen by a high-level management committee chaired by the Minister of Finance, Cassiel Ato Baah Forson. Other members of the committee include the Upper East Regional Minister, Donaltus Akamuguri, and the Majority Leader and Member of Parliament for Bawku Central, Mahama Ayariga.

The government said the initiative is designed not only to rebuild infrastructure but also to restore Bawku’s historic role as a major economic and trading hub, while promoting peace, reconciliation, and sustainable development. Mediation training programmes are also expected to form part of the broader peace-building strategy.

Osman Ayariga’s endorsement reflects growing support from youth leaders and party officials who view the fund as a decisive step toward healing long-standing tensions in the area. Many see the intervention as a demonstration of President Mahama’s commitment to inclusive development and conflict resolution, particularly in communities affected by protracted instability.