Communal violence at Tawkwa

The mining town of Tarkwa was last Friday June 29 rocked by bloody communal violence, in which deadly weapons were freely used and a number of people had to receive hospital treatment, according to The Weekend Statesman.

The commotion continued for three days until efforts by the community leaders helped cool tempers and restored peace.

Chiefs, Council of elders, opinion leaders, assembly members and the MP for Tarkwa-Nsuaem, Gifty Kwofie, also had a hectic time trying to resolve the issue.

Observers have described the conflict, which created unnecessary tension and panic in the town, as something very trivial, which could have been avoided without resort to violence. It all started when a group of unemployed youth from one of the communities, Nzema Line, went prospecting for gold (galamsey) around the community centre, which is also by the Zongo community.

Unhappy about its environmental degradation, the 'patristic' Zongo youth organized a mob attack on the Zema boys, who retaliated, sparking of the three-day free fight, which were resumed each day with new vigour.