One more killed in Alavanyo

IT APPEARS the anticipated peace that the entire country wishes for Nkonya and Alavanyo in the Volta Region is not coming anytime soon.

DAILY GUIDE sources in Alavanyo indicated that there were sporadic gunshots in the area causing some inhabitants to flee to safety.

A resident indicated that on Tuesday, which was the high point of the shooting, over five people were shot.

Out of the number, one died while three sustained various degrees of injury.

The deceased, Edwin Kpongo, 46, popularly known as Abezo, was shot in the rib around 6:30am in Alavanyo Kpeme. He was quickly rushed to the Hohoe Municipal Hospital where he later died.

Another casualty was Charles Addison Akpa, a 43-year-old mason from Alavanyo Wudidi who was shot in the thigh around 4:30pm of the same day on his farm.

According to him, he felt a sharp pain in his left thigh and then his right and fell. He was also rushed to the hospital and is said to be responding to treatment.

An official at the Hohoe Hospital told DAILY GUIDE that the pellets of the bullet passed through both thighs but did not affect any bone and so the victim would recuperate soon.

The third victim is Pius Adjato, a 28-year-old farmer.

He was shot in the hand while on his farm. Two of his fingers have been amputated to save the rest of his hand.

The last casualty who has been reported is a retired policeman, Glover Kornu, who was shot in the buttocks. He is also responding to treatment.

Currently, calm has returned to both traditional areas with police and military intensifying patrols and security to curb any

more insurgence and attacks. Several attempts to reach the police to confirm this development proved futile as all officials contacted refused to confirm or deny it.

In the case of the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Alex Bedie, several calls placed to his phone were not attended to.

However, an official at the Hohoe Municipal Hospital confirmed the cases to DAILY GUIDE on condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the President of the Volta Regional House of Chiefs, Togbe Afede XIV, who is also the Agbogbomefia of the Asogli State, has summoned the Chiefs of the two traditional areas, Nana Okortor Kofi III, Nkonya and Togbe Tsedze Atakor VII, Alavanyo to Accra.

The meeting is believed to prevail on the two chiefs to return to the negotiation table and also urge their subjects to cease fire while a more humane and sane method is used to settle the dispute.

It would be recalled that in April the Volta Regional House of Chiefs threatened to bar the two chiefs from the House should there be any more attacks and killing, but that threat seemed to have been shelved for other alternatives.