Veep starts process to end Alavanyo/Nkonya conflict
The Vice President, Mr Kwesi Amissah-Arthur, has begun a fresh initiative to find a lasting solution to the age-long conflict between the people of Alavanyo and Nkonya in the Volta Region.
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It is under the aegis of the Paramount chief of Akpini Traditional Area, Okpekpewuokpe Togbe Dagadu VIII, who is the mediator.
The initiative has become necessary because apart from the security implications of the conflict, some unscrupulous people have allegedly turned the dispute into a money-making venture, making the peaceful resolution of the conflict difficult.
Addressing the chiefs and people of the two sides yesterday at a meeting held at Kpando, which is a neutral ground, the Vice President said that the conflict would not produce a winner or loser in a modern state and asked them to disabuse their minds of thinking that any of them could be a victor.
He said the unending retaliation must stop because it had shattered the economy of the area since both sides were losing as a result of the cost of maintaining the police and the military there for peacekeeping.
“Our generation must decide that these things must come to an end. Our generation must secure the future”, he stressed.
Nkonya version
The Paramount Chief of Nkonya Wurupong, Nana Kwadwo Asiakwa III, attributed the conflict between the two towns to the destruction of some boundary demarcation pillars erected during the colonial days.
He claimed that the case was sent to court, and the court ruled in favour of the Nkonyas. Nana Asiakwa, therefore, asked why there should be conflict after the court ruling.
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His contention, therefore, is that the court ruling must be enforced, otherwise efforts to mediate would be fruitless.
Alavanyo version
For his part, the Paramount Chief of Alavanyo Traditional Area, Togbe Tsedze Atakora VII, refuted the claim that there had been a court case between the people of Alavanyo and Nkonya.
He claimed that it was rather some people of Nkonya-Tayi and Alavanyo-Kpeme who went to court over a land issue.
According to him, the issue at stake was minor but had escalated over the years, causing other peaceful areas which were not involved in the litigation to be denied peace.
Togbe Atakora said Alavanyo had goodwill towards Nkonya, adding that when Nkonya–Ahenkro was recommended as the capital for the Biakoye District, the people of Alavanyo extended their compliments to the proposal.
The Ankobeahene of Nkonya Ahenkro Traditional Area, Nana Ampem Darko III, asked the powers-that-be to put the land issue aside and investigate the criminality involved in other matters emerging from the conflict.
In her address, the Volta Regional Minister, Madam Helen Adjoa Ntoso, regretted that the people had made empty the apology she earlier rendered on their behalf to President John Dramani Mahama .
She asked them to be mindful of some people who were exploiting the situation for their selfish ends.
Mediator
Togbe Dagadu, for his part, said the peace process had to be discussed on a wider scope for all to appreciate the situation so that lasting peace could be achieved in the shortest possible time.
“Why can’t we get back to how we lived in peace some centuries back,” he asked.
The Vice President was accompanied by the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Alhassan, the National Security Coordinator, Mr Yaw Donkor, and the Commanding Officer of the Southern Command of the Ghana Armed Forces, Brigadier General Sampson Adeti.