By Evans Worlanyo Ameamu,
Keta (VR) Sept 13, GNA – Mr. Bill Godson Ocloo, a Security Analyst, has stated that the Nkwanta conflict in Oti Region has escalated into a humanitarian and security crisis, which resulted in loss of lives, dozens injured, and over 1,055 people displaced and needs urgent redress.
He said the conflict among the Akyode, Adele, and Challa communities demanded urgent and sustained attention to safeguard the lives of the residents.
Mr. Ocloo stated that the destruction had torn apart the fabric of community life, with families grappling with food insecurity, limited shelter, and psychosocial trauma while burning of property symbolised the erosion of trust between ethnic groups leading to years of lost economic progress.
“Agriculture, the lifeline of Nkwanta, has been paralysed, with markets standing deserted, trade routes disrupted, and investments deferred.
The previous temporary closure of Nkwanta Senior High School endangered education, eroding human capital development and further entrenching cycles of underdevelopment.”
He explained that the renewal of curfews was a short-term measure, but the sporadic flare-ups highlighted the absence of durable trust-building mechanisms and the insufficiency of traditional conflict-resolution structures in isolation.
Mr Ocloo, who is also the Executive Director of African Centre for Human Security, said to resolve the conflict, three critical pathways such as inclusive dialogue platforms involving chiefs, religious leaders, women, and youth to cultivate trust and promote genuine reconciliation among residents should be prioritised.
Others include targeting economic development that prioritised infrastructure, healthcare, and schools to unlock the region’s agricultural potential and create jobs, particularly for youth and permanent security presence paired with consistent humanitarian assistance and community engagement could also foster an environment where peace is continuously nurtured.
He said, “the Nkwanta conflict is a microcosm of Ghana’s broader challenge: managing diversity to strengthen national unity. Leadership commitment lies not in the speed of military deployment but in the depth of transformation that follows.”
The security analyst said the human toll already paid in Nkwanta was a stark reminder that peace was not automatic, but must be deliberately constructed, patiently cultivated, and jealously guarded.
Collective action by stakeholders, security agencies, community leaders among others is necessary to transform cycles of ethnic strife into opportunities for inclusive development.
In a significant step towards resolving the conflict, the chiefs of the Adele, Akyode, and Challa communities have also initiated peace talks which emphasised the importance of dialogue, unity, and reconciliation.
GNA
Edited by: Maxwell Awumah/George-Ramsey Benamba