“Dialogue Is Not Working” – Nkwanta South MCE on Ongoing Clashes
Efforts to resolve ethnic tensions through dialogue and law enforcement have repeatedly fallen short.
- Dialogue and legal efforts to resolve ethnic tensions in Nkwanta South have repeatedly failed
- Renewed violence erupted after clashes over libation rites ahead of the Yam Festival
- Security forces are making arrests to restore calm
The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Nkwanta South, Joseph Antwi, has voiced deep frustration over the continued failure of dialogue and legal measures to defuse entrenched ethnic tensions in the municipality.
His remarks come on the heels of renewed violence in the early hours of Thursday, June 27, after gunshots rang out around 2:00 a.m. in the Oti Region. The latest unrest was reportedly sparked by a confrontation over the performance of libation rituals ahead of the Yam Festival—an act opposed by a rival group, reigniting longstanding ethnic divisions.
This fresh wave of violence has erupted despite an earlier agreement led by local authorities and the Oti Regional Minister, which called for the suspension of all public festivals in a bid to preserve the area’s fragile peace.
Speaking in an interview, MCE Antwi lamented the repeated breakdown of efforts aimed at reconciliation.
“This situation dates back to 2021 and keeps resurfacing,” he said. “We appealed to the youth to resolve this through lawful means, but it’s clear that’s not working. We’ve tried engagement, and that too has failed.”
In response to the latest outbreak, security forces have begun rounding up suspects to help restore order in the troubled municipality.
“Security personnel are now picking up individuals for questioning, trying to calm the situation,” Antwi explained. “This conflict has caused significant distress to residents and disrupted business activity.”
The escalating tensions have left many residents living in fear and have brought economic activity in parts of Nkwanta South to a standstill. Citizens are now urging more decisive state action to prevent the situation from spiraling into a full-blown conflict.
