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Nkonya, Alavanyo Clashes: DCE's Strange Behaviour

Ghanaian Chronicle (Accra)
NEWS
August 4, 2004
Posted to the web August 4, 2004

By Bennett Akuaku

Recent developments along the Hohoe-Jasikan borders in the Volta region clearly
indicate that the 83-year old conflict between the people of Nkonya and
Alavanyo are far from over. This is because, in spite of all efforts by
succeeding governments to bring permanent peace to the area, reports keep
coming by the day of escalating skirmishes.
The latest of such reports was received and confirmed by the security agencies
here that the two people clashed again in the early hours of Monday, in which
two young men were killed.
The names of the two, both citizens of Nkonya, were given as Frank Kwawu and
Kwabena Ansah.
This was made known to pressmen on Monday afternoon after an emergency Regional
Security Council (REGSEC) meeting here.
Addressing the conference at the coordinating council, the regional minister,
Hon. Kwasi Owusu Yeboah, who described the latest report as disturbing, said
the bodies of the two had been deposited at the Margaret Marquette Hospital at
Kpando for autopsy.
"We find this very disturbing in the light of the human and material efforts
government had committed so far. We had expected some commitment also from both
parties in the conflict so that the matter is resolved for the benefit of the
nation at large. But what we keep seeing is rather unfortunate", he lamented.
Hon. Yeboah said the REGSEC had now been compelled to make certain
recommendations to national security for approval, for some extra-ordinary
measures to be taken in the conflict zone.
Even though he failed to elaborate on what he meant by 'extra-ordinary
measures', ostensibly for security reasons, the minister hinted that the
measures would be drastic because some people could be exploiting the situation
for personal gains.
"There is some general impression that people from both sides are engaged in
certain acts of vendetta for their personal gains. REGSEC is studying the
reports it had received so far, in order to identify the agents of provocation
and bring them to book", he stressed.
He conceded that the problem was a complex one that could not be solved in a
matter of days due to its long history; a situation which, he said, could
change the original causes of the conflict to secondary ones, depending upon
the promptings of each passing year.
According to the head of the regional security council, the timing of the
recent escalation is rather disturbing because of the general elections that
would take place in December this year, and called on the people of both sides
to assist the security agencies by volunteering information to the security
agencies.
He condemned those using the conflict for selfish gains as innocent lives
continue to be lost, saying 'those selfish minority must be exposed'.
The council was not happy that one of the district chief executives in the
conflict zone, Hon. Solomon K. Donkor of Jasikan, had consistently failed to
avail himself for meetings called to discuss the conflict.
At last Monday's meeting, at which only the Hohoe DCE, Hon. James K Dogbe was
present, the minister explained that when word was sent to Jasikan for the DCE
to be present, the coordinating director (DCD) replied back that Donkor had
travelled to Accra.
"The conflict area traversed the two districts, and we always expect that the
two chief executives are present whenever the need arises for urgent security
council meetings", he noted.
REGSEC also appealed to the media to be cautious of the sensibilities of the
factions, and give accurate reports of events in the area. It said any
journalist who gives needles colour to the situation would rather be fanning
the conflict, and for that matter be frustrating all governmental efforts at
bringing peace to the area.
Giving a more detailed account of Monday's clashes, Chief Superintendent
Mohammed Abubakar Adams, deputy regional police commander, said as early as
7.30am, some shootings were heard in the forests between Alavanyo Kpeme and
Nkonya Tayi. Armed policemen quickly deployed to the area, only to meet some
Nkonya men carrying two of their men who had fallen and died. These were the
bodies of Frank and Ansah, whose ages were not immediately known.
Unfortunately, no arrests had been made.
Supt. Adams described the situation at Nkonya as normal, but added that the
entire Alavanyo Kpeme town had become virtually empty, as at the time of the
press conference.
The deputy commander disclosed that the two factions had regularly changed
their modus operandi of late by vacating their homes for the nearby forests
ahead of any attacks on their neighbours.
He, however, assured that normalcy would soon be restored in the area, as more
than a hundred more men had been sent from the region to beef up security in
the area.
Also present at the conference were Major Mohammed Sidique Abubakar, Officer
Commamding the 66 Artillery Regiment, Mr. Steve Serlomey, regional coordinating
director and the regional boss of the Bureau of National Investigation (BNI).

   

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