Review curfew in Nkwanta !! …traders, residents appeal to govt

Mr Ambrose Dery, Interior Minister

Traders in the Nkwanta-South Municipality of the Oti Region have appealed to the government to review the curfew imposed on Nkwanta following the communal conflict between the Adele and Challa on one side and the Akyode on the other from 5:00pm to 6:00am to 8:00pm to 6:00am.

The traders explained that the review of the curfew would enable them to improve on their business activities, adding that since the curfew was imposed in November 2023, it had affected their businesses in various ways, hence their appeal for review to pave the way for business activities to thrive in the area.

• C/Supt Asiedu (second from right) and Mr Ansah (left) after the presentation

The Secretary to the Nkwanta-South Traders Association, Mr Richard Owusu Ansah, made the call when the association presented food items to the police at Nkwanta on Friday as a gesture in appreciation of the good works of the police and other security agencies since the curfew started last year.

Mr Ansah said the traders were satisfied with the government’s efforts aimed at ensuring peace at Nkwanta, which he observed was a pre-requisite for the development of every community, however the government should consider the review of the curfew period to enable them to embark on their trade more meaningfully.

He pledged on behalf of the traders that the association would continue to provide the needed assistance to the police and other security agencies to motivate them in order to protect them (citizenry) and to ensure that they carried out their economic activities peacefully, and also added that the association was inspired by the high level of professionalism displayed by the police so far.

The Nkwanta-South Divisional Police Commander, Chief Superintendent of Police (C/Supt) Michael Asiedu, received the items and expressed gratitude to the traders for their support and said the move would further motivate personnel in the discharge of their duties.

According to the Divisional Police Commander, the review of the curfew would largely depend on the parties involved in the conflict because much depended on them to use dialogue as the appropriate way of resolving this misunderstandings, therefore would help bring peace to the area.

C/Supt Asiedu expressed optimism that very soon the parties in the conflict would embrace peace and there would no longer be curfew in the town and advised the traders to regularly educate residents on the need for peace as they carried out their business activities.

He reminded residents in the area of the need to provide accurate and timely information to the police to enable them to arrest people who remained a threat to the peace of the area, and added that ensuring peace should be regarded as a collective responsibility of all.

FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, NKWANTA