Nkwanta — Two persons were shot dead during Christmas and New Year festivities, in the Nkwanta-South Municipality of the Oti Region.
Mr Denis Gowugade, a national service person, and Mr Papa Kente, a farmer, lost their lives on the farm at Odomi in the Challa Traditional Area, and Kromase, near Shiare, in the Akyode Traditional Area, in the municipality.
The police had deposited the bodies at the Nkwanta Government Hospital, in the municipality, pending investigation and autopsy.
Four men, who were loading gari into a vehicle on the Odomi road, suffered gunshot wounds and were admitted to the same hospital.
The incident follows a conflict involving the people of Challa and Adele on one part, and the Akyode on the other, the deployment of heavy security presence and the imposition of curfew on some communities in the municipality.
The Regional Minister, Dr Joshua Makubu, who briefed journalists about the tragedy, cautioned the feuding parties to stop shooting and killing their opponents.
He expressed worry that the recent development of factions fighting in the bush was unfortunate and affecting efforts by the government to end the conflict.
The Nkwanta-South Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Bright Lenwah, noted that, five people were either shot or killed on their way to the farm or from the farm, bringing the number of deaths recorded in the conflict to 19 so far.
Mr Lenwah said the nature of the conflict called for dialogue between the parties, to ensure peace because the police and other security personnel could not afford to protect people on their way to the farm or on the farm.
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He said that the killing of persons in the bush had made the conflict more complex.
Mr Lenwah appealed to the people to smoke the peace pipe and bring the violence to an end, towards development.
The MCE said the current development was making efforts by the government to end the conflict difficult, adding that it was a clear signal that the conflict could end through deliberate efforts of the people themselves.
The Nkwanta Divisional Police Commander, Superintendent Michael Kwabena Asiedu, assured the public that the police were on top of their mandate.
He appealed to the people to complement efforts of the police by laying down their arms, "because shooting and killing of opponents in the bush is derailing efforts being made to bring peace to the area."
