When will we see an end to the Nkonya-Alavanyo feud?

LAST week there were reports of renewed fighting between the people of Nkonya and Alavanyo in the Volta Region. And in the ensuing clashes, two persons were shot dead by some unknown assailants.

THE development has seen more deployment of military and police personnel to beef up security in the area amidst rising tensing between the two feuding communities. So far it has not been established what might have ignited this latest hostility.

HOWEVER, it is imperative that our security agencies on the ground do what is necessary to enforce peace and prevent further clashes. The Volta Regional Police Commander, Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Nana Asomah Hinneh, has stated that the Volta Regional Security Council had begun investigations into the matter to unravel the cause of the incident. It is our expectation that the culprits will be brought to book and very quickly too.

THE root cause of this long-protracted conflict between the two communities is hard to establish, though it has been attributed to a land dispute which began on May 24, 1923. What still beats imagination is why these two communities are unable to settle whatever their differences are and live peacefully, first as Ghanaians and then as Voltarians.

YES, Today is aware that several peace deals have been brokered between them. There have even been instances where some of these interventions and peace deals were championed by civil society groups and other non-governmental organisations all in an effort to find a lasting solution to this conflict between these two communities in the Volta Region.

WELL, in the estimation of Today, we must not give up until permanent peace is restored between Nkonyas and Alavanyos. Understandably, these are two communities that have peacefully co-existed without any conflict until 1983 when they had to slug it out amongst themselves.

WHAT we must all understand is that conflict does not only lead to destruction of properties, but more importantly it results in the loss of lives, creates fear and stalls progress. As reported, the latest incident has claimed the lives of two persons, a situation which could have been averted if the two factions had exercised restraint in whatever the cause was.

WHILE we urge the leadership of the two communities to continue to engage in dialoguing with their people in the interest of peace, we also charge the security personnel there to deal with persons who will want to foment further troubles.

WHAT communities should be spending their energies on are not conflicts that would create orphans and widows and which would not bring jobs to their youth. Rather, energies should be channeled towards community development and projects that would lead to livelihood empowerments. We must find an end to the lingering Nkonya-Alavanyo feud. It does not help development.

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