At least 31 people have been killed and nearly 50,000 displaced in violent clashes in northern Ghana that began at the end of last month. More than 13,000 people fled across the border into Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana’s Interior Minister Mubarak Muntaka reported.
A dozen communities are involved in the conflict. It began when the local chief (traditional ruler) in the village of Gbiniyiri, near the Ivorian border, sold land to a contractor without obtaining the required approval from the community. When the contractor attempted to start his planned work, residents resisted fiercely, during which the chief’s palace was also set on fire.
Local disputes over land and chieftaincy matters are common in northern Ghana, but displacement on this scale is rare.
Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) announced that around 48,000 people had been displaced from their homes, mostly women and children. Authorities fear food supply issues, as families were forced to abandon farms and livestock. More than 700 soldiers and police officers have been deployed to restore security, and a curfew has been imposed.
The Regional Minister of Savannah, Salisu Bi-Awuribe, stated that calm was gradually being restored as chiefs and elders cooperated with security forces to prevent further clashes. An investigative committee, including traditional rulers and the National Peace Council, has been established to examine the causes and promote reconciliation.