Over the past few days, Ghana has suffered some major displeasing events, with the air disaster which claimed 12 lives, when a cargo air plane overshot its runway and mangled a minibus killing all passengers on board, still fresh on our minds.

On the heels of this incident is a battered image to salvage after floodlights couldn't be switched on at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium in Kumasi during a world cup qualifier match with Lesotho. The government's communication lapses in the matter of the stadium incident cannot also be over emphasised

But, just when Ghanaians seem to have had enough of the troubles in a single week, fresh ethnic clashes have erupted up North - one between Kokombas and Bemobas in the Northern Region, and another between residents of Namoligo and Shea-Tindongo in the Talensi-Nabdam district of the Upper East Region.

The conflict, which is said to have been sparked by a land dispute, has so far left over a hundred houses burnt down, and some residents displaced.

The two ethnic groups were said to have exchanged gunshots in the early hours of Monday, which led women and children to seek refuge in the bush.

News trickling in, as at yesterday, indicated that despite the deployment of security personnel to the region, the fighting continued and the death toll continues to rise.

Reports, as at press time, had it that four people had been killed, and six other people severely injured.

Residents were also reported to have been caught in the crossfire between the warring ethnic factions and police and military team, bringing social and economic activities in the area to a complete standstill.

In the Upper East, the Tindongo residents are claiming that the Namoligo residents are settlers, and are indiscriminately giving out the land without due consultations.

Giving an account of the events leading to the attack, Upper East Region Minister, Mark Woyongo said both factions began mobilising the night before, to attack each other. But he, together with the Regional Police Commander intervened, asking the two factions to exercise restraint, as they look into the matter, but it appeared his plea was thrown to the dogs.

What is significant in all this, is that yet another huge sum of state resources, which could have been used for meaningful developments in other areas, would be used in maintaining peace in the region.

When will individuals and groups of peoples come to accept dialogue and peaceful resolutions, than letting the arrow off the bow?

Our brothers up North must wake up to calls for peaceful resolution of issues and to maintain peace in the sub-region, since that is the only way through which the region will see any meaningful development.