The Accra branch of the Konkomba Youth Association has urged the Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, to explore feasible options in restoring peace to the troubled Chereponi district following the failure of a committee that was set up by the minister to have resolved an earlier conflagration between the same factions a few months ago.

Despite the setting up of a five-member fact-finding committee in January 2019 to probe the cause of deadly clashes between the Konkombas and Chokosis in the Chereponi District of the Northern Region, fresh clashes were sparked on Friday, 15 March 2019 which resulted in two deaths, torching of over 40 houses and the injuring of scores of residents.

Over 20 communities were ravaged in the recent conflict.

Several inhabitants, mostly children and women, have also fled the ravaged communities.

At a press conference in Accra on Wednesday, 20 March 2019, the spokesperson for the association, Isaac Phoyon, stated that Mr Dery and his ministry must effectively investigate the cause of the recent conflicts and end the feud that has destabilised the security in the area.

He emphasised the need to ensure that the conflict is brought under control to prevent an escalation.

“They [Committee] should be able to engage the two factions, listen to them and bring the two together and resolve the matter in an amicable way,” he suggested.

He emphasised that the Konkombas are peaceful people and urged the Chokosi faction to agree to peaceful ways to address issues rather than resorting to bloody fights.

A reinforcement team was deployed from the national capital, Accra, to the area which has resulted in an improvement in the security situation on the ground. The police and the military are employing strategic measures to control the crisis.

The Overlord of Dagbon, Ya Na Mahama Abukari has also resolved to send a delegation to the area to engage the leaders of the Chokosi and Konkamba ethnic groups to broker peace.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has revealed that over 1,800 people have been displaced but indicated that they cannot quantify the level of destruction that has been caused for now.

Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FM