The Minister for the Interior has announced, following recommendations from the Oti Regional Security Council and through an Executive Instrument, the extension of curfew hours for Nkwanta Township and its surrounding areas in the Nkwanta South Municipality of the Oti Region. The new curfew will be in effect from 6:00 PM to 5:00 AM starting Thursday, September 4, 2025.
In light of ongoing unrest, the government calls on local chiefs, opinion leaders, youth, and community members to exercise calm and utilize peaceful approaches to address the challenges facing their region. Authorities have imposed a comprehensive ban prohibiting individuals in Nkwanta Township and its vicinity from carrying firearms, ammunition, or any kind of offensive weapons. Those found violating this ordinance risk arrest and prosecution.
Francis Ahovi, a renowned security expert and Executive Secretary of the Global Security for Africa Research and Good Governance (GLOSARGG), has labeled the recent violence in the Nkwanta region as a pressing national security crisis necessitating urgent, coordinated action. He asserts that the latest outbreaks of violence highlight the existence of longstanding ethnic tensions, structural insecurity, and inefficiencies in local peacebuilding mechanisms.
Ahovi emphasizes that this turmoil is not merely an isolated incident but indicative of broader issues related to Ghana’s peripheral security governance. He pointed to unresolved chieftaincy conflicts, disputes over land ownership, and a general sense of political neglect as significant contributors to the persistent unrest in the region.
Moreover, he criticized the perceived absence or bias of state authorities, which has, in his view, fostered an environment conducive to the emergence of militias and retaliatory violence. Ahovi also expressed concern about the inadequate establishment of humanitarian corridors and the sluggish response in delivering essential services, such as food, medical assistance, and emergency housing, to those affected by the ongoing conflict. This multifaceted crisis underscores the urgent need for comprehensive strategies to restore peace and stability in the area.
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