The National Peace Council has organised a dialogue meeting with the traditional leaders and community representatives from Adele, Akyode, and Challa, a significant step towards lasting peace in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Oti Region.

The engagement brought together chiefs, queenmothers, elders, and the youth in an inclusive forum to achieve sustainable peace and rebuild trust among communities affected by years of tension.

The dialogue acknowledged the pain, misery, insecurity, and disruption caused by the protracted conflict, largely stemming from disputes over land and chieftaincy.

Participants also reflected on the escalation of hostilities that re-emerged in November 2021 and the severe toll the situation had taken on lives, property, livelihoods, and social cohesion.

The traditional leaders from the three groups expressed deep concern about rumours, mistrust, and fear that had strained relationships, weakened community bonds, and increased the economic and social costs of the conflict.

Most Reverend Emmanuel Kofi Fianu, the Chairman of the National Peace Council, addressing the gathering, commended the traditional authorities for reaching a point of dialogue and commitment.

He noted that their willingness to sign a peace pact demonstrated their readiness to allow peace to prevail and urged them to sustain, nurture, and develop the commitments they had made.

Rev. Fianu emphasised that peace and development could only be realised and maintained in an environment built on trust, forgiveness, fairness, tolerance, moderation, compromise, cooperation, and the non-violent resolution of differences.

He, however, appealed to the media to be circumspect and to help sustain and amplify the agreement rather than inflame tensions.

Representatives of the traditional councils, including Nana Amoah Boafo for the Adele Traditional Council, Nana Obombo Lipuwura Serwura (Paramount Chief and President of the Akyode Traditional Council), and Nana Addo Chederi Kanewu of Challa, reaffirmed their respect for the rights and dignity of all individuals and communities in the municipality.

They pledged to collaborate to address outstanding issues through an inclusive approach, in line with the rule of law, and to begin a renewed peacebuilding process anchored in the historic dialogue and future initiatives.

Key agreements and objectives reached at the dialogue include the following: that the peaceful coexistence of the three ethnic groups is paramount.

Secondly, the parties will employ non-violent means to resolve inter-communal disputes, strengthen relationships, enhance trust and mutual respect, and work collectively to minimise mistrust and promote lasting peace.

Also, pending court processes and final conclusions, all parties are to remain within their land boundaries in the Nkwanta Municipality, and this must be respected by all sides.

Furthermore, all ethnic groups are to confine festivals and related celebrations within their traditional land boundaries and not in the Nkwanta township until the matter is duly determined by the appropriate authorities.

All parties are to respect the ban on festivals in Nkwanta, imposed since November 25, 2023, by the Oti Regional Security Council and the Nkwanta Municipal Security Council, aimed at preventing further violence.

The illegal importation of firearms into the Nkwanta Municipality must cease immediately.

There must be a cessation of all armed violence by the three main feuding parties, Adele, Akyode, and Challa, and allied groups, with a commitment to non-violent methods of conflict resolution.

All ethnic groups within the municipality must accord security agencies’ respect and avoid interfering in the discharge of their lawful duties.

Security agencies must conduct their duties professionally and without fear or favour.

Security agencies must investigate and bring to a conclusion all reported cases of violence involving all parties, including Adele, Akyode, Challa, and any other residents within the municipality.

All citizens of Nkwanta are to cease sharing rumours and misinformation through social media and all other channels that undermine peace.

The leadership of Adele, Akyode, and Challa, and allied groups, must immediately call on their people particularly the youth to cease violent and armed attacks regardless of provocation and to engage with the joint implementation and monitoring committee to be established.

All parties must show utmost respect for each other’s rights and dignity while continuing engagements to resolve the dispute.

A joint implementation and monitoring committee will be established to ensure the realization of the commitments outlined in the outcome document.