Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 2, 2026

Bawku

Bawku is a town in and the capital of Bawku Municipal District, Upper East Region, in north Ghana, adjacent to the border with Burkina Faso. The municipality has a total land area of about 257 km2. It was established by Legislative Instrument (L.I) 2103. In 2021, Bawku had a population of 119,458 people.

Last revised
Jun 2, 2026
Read time
≈ 2 min
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Wikipedia ↗
Bawku
Town & district capital
Bawku
Location of Bawku in Upper East Region
Coordinates: 11°3′36″N 0°14′24″W / 11.06000°N 0.24000°W / 11.06000; -0.24000
CountryGhana
RegionUpper East Region
DistrictBawku Municipal District
Population
 (2012)
 • Total
69,5271
Time zoneGMT
 • Summer (DST)GMT

Bawku is a town in and the capital of Bawku Municipal District, Upper East Region, in north Ghana, adjacent to the border with Burkina Faso.234 The municipality has a total land area of about 257 km2.5 It was established by Legislative Instrument (L.I) 2103.5 In 2021, Bawku had a population of 119,458 people.16

Cultural and tourist sites

Naa Gbewaa shrine

The "tomb" of Naa Gbewaa, a shrine to the founder of the Mamprusi, Dagomba, and Nanumba tribes, is located just a few kilometers from Bawku in Pusiga, in the Upper East Region of Ghana. The shrine is thought to have been built in the 14th century, and it is a place of spiritual reverence.7

Bawku conflict

The Bawku conflict is a long-standing chieftaincy and ethnic dispute primarily between the Kusasi and Mamprusi communities in and around the Bawku Municipal District, near the border with Burkina Faso, dating back to 1957.8 Rooted in the colonial indirect-rule framework and sharpened by post-independence policy reversals, the dispute centres on claims to the paramount chieftaincy (the Bawku skin) and associated land authority.9 Periodic escalations have led to deaths, injuries, displacement, curfews, and significant economic and social disruption.1011 In July 2025, the government again deployed additional soldiers and tightened curfews following renewed violence, including attacks on schools.12

References

References

  1. "World Gazetteer online". World-gazetteer.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2012.
  2. Bawku Municipal District Archived 14 June 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  3. "Upper East Region". List of All MMDAs in Ghana. A Public – Private Partnership Programme between Min. of Local Govt., Rural Dev. & Environment & Maks Publications & Media Services. 2006. Archived from the original on 5 August 2009. Retrieved 1 January 2008.
  4. "4 dead in renewed Bawku chieftaincy violence – MyJoyOnline.com". myjoyonline.com. 24 January 2022. Retrieved 24 January 2022.
  5. "Ghana Districts: A repository of all Local Assemblies in Ghana". ghanadistricts.com. Retrieved 20 September 2023.
  6. "Ghana Districts: A repository of all Local Assemblies in Ghana". ghanadistricts.com. Retrieved 16 September 2023.
  7. "Upper East Region Attractions – Ghana Tourism Homepage". Touringghana.com. Archived from the original on 17 March 2014. Retrieved 18 April 2014.
  8. "Emerging Local Voices and New Possibilities Toward Attaining Sustainable Peace in Bawku, north-eastern Ghana". ACCORD. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  9. Longi, Felix Y. T. (2014). "The Kusasi-Mamprusi Conflict in Bawku: A Legacy of British Colonial Policy in Northern Ghana". Ghana Studies. 17 (1): 157–176. doi:10.3368/gs.17.1.157. ISSN 2333-7168.
  10. "5,000 displaced, 50 killed in communal clashes". thenewhumanitarian.org. 4 December 2001. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  11. "Calm returns to Bawku after Kussasi/Mamprusi clash". Modern Ghana. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
  12. Bruce, Emmanuel (28 July 2025). "Ghana deploys soldiers to quell northern chieftancy dispute". Reuters. Retrieved 25 August 2025.
External links
  • Media related to Bawku at Wikimedia Commons

11°03′N 0°14′W / 11.050°N 0.233°W / 11.050; -0.233