Military Deployed To Mion And Kulkpeni Over Possible Communal Clashes

• The Yendi Security Council has deployed the military to the Mion and Kulkpeni communities in Ghana's Northern region
• The deployment follows recent communal clashes in the area and a disagreement about a new market to be established in Kulkpeni
• The Security Council said the military will remain in the communities till calm is restored

The military has been deployed to the Mion and Kulkpeni communities in Ghana’s Northern Region after recent community clashes.

The tension followed a communal clash in Zogbei in the Mion district two weeks ago, resulting in the loss of over seven lives.

The military had to be deployed again to prevent the clash from spreading to other communities in the area.

Following the clash, Konkombas in the Mion district allegedly announced their decision to boycott the Mion market and establish their own trading spot in the Kulkpeni community near Yendi.

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The decision did not go well with the indigenes of Mion and Yendi who have threatened to forcibly close the Kulkpeni market should it open.

According to the Yendi Municipal Security Council, attempts to get the Konkombas to pass through the proper procedures before opening their market have not been successful.

Thus, the Municipal Security Council deployed the military to the site today, Friday, August 23, 2024, to prevent attacks on traders.

Meanwhile, efforts are being made to restore peace and order in the community.

Security expert urges authorities to address problem

In an interview with YEN.com.gh concerning the deployment of military men to the Mion and Kulkpeni communities, Adib Saani, a security expert, said more has to be done to prevent future clashes.

He said several conflicts have been simmering, and without addressing them squarely, the military would have to be developed several times a year to quell another outbreak of violent clashes.

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“We need to get to the very bottom to understand the structural, social, economic, and political undertones that give rise to these conflicts. Otherwise, we might just be dealing with them superficially,” he said.

He added that places, particularly in the north, are prone to such communal clashes largely due to poverty and other human insecurities.

“Today, they stop fighting. Tomorrow, they fight again. And as a conflict analyst, I think most of these structural issues has a lot to do with human insecurities, especially youth unemployment, the lack of access to basic necessities of life, such as food, water, shelter, sanitation services, the lack of education.

“It would interest you to know that people fight without knowing why they are fighting. So, if there is education, people would learn to understand that there is no military solution to any of their challenges.

“There is no military solution to any of their challenges, so there is the need for education to be improved,” he said.

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Six dead following clash in Nkwanta South

Six individuals died in a recent shooting incident that unfolded at Nkwanta South in the Oti Region on Tuesday, November 21, 2023.

The Nkwanta Central Market became a scene of chaos as armed assailants unleashed gunfire on residents early Tuesday morning, resulting in the destruction of numerous properties and prompting a mass exodus, leaving behind a desolate town.

Among the casualties, a police officer and five others are currently in critical condition, according to a report by Joy News.

The victims are said to be nursing bullet wounds and receiving urgent medical attention at the Nkwanta St Joseph Catholic Hospital.

Ghana at risk of terrorist attacks

YEN.com.gh reported that a new report says Ghana risks terrorist attacks due to existing triggers that have remained unresolved for many years.

The West Africa Centre for Counter-Terrorism mentioned the Bawku Conflict and the Western Togoland issue as very dangerous for Ghana's security.

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The report explained that with their huge exploitative capacity, extremists descending on Ghana and other coast countries in the sub-region could take advantage of existing threats.

Source: YEN.com.gh