The Nkwanta township in the Oti Region has been plunged into a state of desolation, with social and economic activities grinding to a halt following renewed ethnic conflict between the Akyodes and Challas communities.
The violence, which erupted last Wednesday, June 25, 2025, has claimed the life of a final-year student of Nkwanta Senior High School and left several others injured, including two female day students, who sustained gunshot wounds.
All public and private schools in the town have been closed down to protect the lives of students and teachers and Nkwanta Senior High School was among those shattered, with arrangements for police escorts to ensure students’ safe passage home.
Many non-indigenous teachers have fled the town, adding to the sense of uneasiness, shops have been locked up, and the usual bustling atmosphere has given way to an eerie silence.
When the Ghana News Agency (GNA), accompanied a delegation of the Oti Regional Minister, Mr. John Kwadwo Gyapong around the town, it was observed that armed military and police personnel have taken strategic positions in the town to maintain law and order.
However, a curfew has been imposed from 6:00 PM to 5:00 AM daily, and a total ban on carrying arms, ammunition, or any offensive weapons remained in effect while eight individuals have been arrested in connection with the violence.
A few people were seen on the streets, while mostly children and women were seen standing in front of their homes to watch the spectacle.
The government has expressed deep sadness over the tragic loss of lives and is working to restore calm and normalcy to the area, while the Oti Regional Security Council had been working tirelessly to maintain peace and prevent further escalation.
