Ethnic Conflict Looms In Accra

As the Andani-Abudu flare-up in Yendi/ Tamale continues to defy solution, the fire of another ethno-religious conflict has been lit and is being fanned into possible flames in Accra, the supposed gateway into West Africa.

Squared up, eye-ball to eye-ball, are the people of James Town paramountcy and a settler group of Islamic Ningos at Touba near Kokrobite in the Bortianor electoral area of Ga District. Although the Ngleshie Alata Youth Association (NAYA) is trying to use every legal means to bring the Head Settler to book, allegations and counter allegations of massive acquisition of firearms for possible confrontation by the two groups, have sent residents fleeing the area.

Much worse, acts of aggression have been committed by both sides and reported to the Dansoman Police, according to Heritage police sources.

But much, much worse, one group is pointing accusing fingers at the security agencies for allegedly supplying ammunition to the other side?

What started the trouble is the natural death this year of the 83-year-old chief of Kokrobite, Nii Adenkpa VI. In the early part of September, Nii Kodjo Ababio V, Paramount Chief of James Town, invited the Chief of Touba, Alhaji Ali Agbonarh, to go and "account for the sale of land" to private developers. Alhaji Agbonarh refused to honour the invitation, claiming that he serves another overlord.

The legal means adopted by the NAYA is a petition to the Head of State, which was fired off on September 15, 2003. It was copied to all relevant security institutions in the country.

A copy sighted by The Heritage accused the settler chief of Touba, Alhaji Ali Agbonarh, of "unlawful sale of plots of lands belonging to James Town Traditional Council at Touba," a suburb of Accra, without permission.

Tracing the history of the land in dispute, the petition continued: "Sometime in 1943, some Ningo tribesmen came to James Town palace of Nii Kodjo Ababio (the paramount Chief of James Town) to beg him to give them land to settle their cows. The Mantse wholeheartedly vested some portions of land to them to settle and accomplish their purpose.

"The agreement was that they will give the Council every year one cow and thanksgiving", it said.

The petition alleged further that the Government in its intention to have an irrigation project applied to the James Town Mantse for the above land to be released to her. The request was accepted by the Council and land was vested in the government.

On January 25, 1994, the land was however revoked by the Government of Ghana under the hand of the then Minister of Food and Agriculture, Mr. Ibrahim Adam.

After the revocation of the land, the Council alleged, "the settlers started to dispose of the plots of land without the consent of the James Town Traditional Council.

"When this practice was questioned, Ali Agbonarh, the Head of settlers, gave his people weapons and other sophisticated missiles to shoot anyone who ventured to criticise the sale of lands there."

The petition, signed by Dr. E.V. Tagoe, NAYA Chairmen, asked the government to intervene quickly so that sanity would prevail in the area to have this problem solved "to avoid any catastrophe in the near future."

Contacted by The Heritage at his palace in James Town, the Paramount Chief, Nii Kodjo Ababio V, confirmed the "insulting" behaviour of the Head of settlers through his obstinacy in showing disrespect to the stool of the overlord of the area, stressing "We are awaiting the outcome of our petition to the President of the Republic, Dr. John Agyekum Kufuor."

When contacted, a source in the office of the Dansoman Police Command confirmed that the police are investigating the criminal aspects of the complaint. On his part, the head of the settlers told The Heritage in an interview: "We don't know any so-called Paramount Chief. This land does not belong to the James Town Stool. It is for the Sempe Stool. Our elders negotiated with Nii Adenkpa of Kokrobite. "We the people of Touba will sue the so-called Paramount Chief of James Town to prove his claim," he said.

On the allegation of urging his people to shoot anyone who questioned his right to the sale of lands, he answered in the negative but emphasised that "nevertheless we are prepared to meet any intruder foot to foot who will come to disturb us."

While these skirmishes are going on Heritageinvestigations have revealed that a big, deadly confrontation of ethnic violence is simmering nearby.

In the neighbouring town of Aplaku, constant skirmishes between Ada Settlers and natives have cost the lives of many people.

Currently, the body of Nii Okoso I, an Ada Settler who allegedly shot two brothers dead and later declared himself Chief of Aplaku, is still lying in the morgue of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. It has been awaiting burial for a year.

About two weeks ago, the two factions engaged in a bloody fight in which a man died of matchet wounds. It took police reinforcement from the Dansoman Police Command to contain the situation and yet no arrests were made.

Residents are questioning the impartiality of the police in the disturbances of the area.