Following a resurgence of violence in Nkwanta, the seat of the Nkwanta South Municipal Assembly, some 200 people have fled to Pampawie, Ahamansu, and other locations in the Kadjebi District.
The Nkwanta Municipality’s neighbour, Kadjebi, has developed into a safe haven for displaced people fleeing the violence.
Madam Agnes Afua Obour, a linguist and opinion leader in Pampawie, said the Ghana News Agency (GNA): “Our kinsmen who are distressed by the situation have reached out for support to return home.” Since many of them arrived late Friday, we gave some money to help with their transportation.
She underlined the gravity of the situation in Nkwanta and called for cooperation from all parties in order to find a long-term solution.
People came to Ahamansu on Thursday, Friday, and even Saturday, according to Hussein Abdulai, the assemblyman for the Ahamansu Electoral Area, who spoke to GNA.
He said he was taking notes on their information and would provide Ahamansu with a report that included a list of those escaping the area of conflict.
The disturbance started when a group of people went to the cemetery to bury a relative, according to an eyewitness in Nkwanta who asked to remain anonymous. Unknown armed men showed up and began shooting during the burial.
Thankfully, they had already torched the dead, the witness continued, so they fled unharmed.
Eight homes and businesses have been set on fire, and seven people have been killed, according to reports that GNA has received.
According to Cletus Chevure, the coordinator for the Kadjebi District, he has not yet been notified formally of the influx of migrants into the district.
Kadjebi District Police Commander Superintendent of Police Frank Nana Asomaning added that although he had not been provided with official information, he had heard of individuals escaping Nkwanta to other locations in search of safety.
The only discernible activity in the empty Nkwanta township and its streets is the presence of police and military patrols.
The eerie calm is broken by the sound of police and military vehicles as the formerly lively streets are now deserted.
Arriving in armoured trucks, military men have positioned themselves strategically throughout the township, with some even patrolling the streets.
Some locals, who wished to remain nameless, had conflicting opinions on the military’s presence. Others were dubious, worried that it may result in violations of human rights, while others applauded their presence in the hopes that it would put an end to the bloodshed.
In a desperate attempt to flee the carnage, the GNA crew saw a number of pregnant women, some of whom were obviously distressed, making their way through bushes.
Madam Serwaa Afia Twumasi, a pregnant mother, sobbed as she told GNA, “I’m scared for my life and the life of my unborn child.”
The violence in Nkwanta is sustained by a long-standing struggle between the Akyode, Adele, and Challa ethnic groups over who owns the township.