Alabanyo Queen Mamaga Ameturu III has called on the Ministry of Interior to lift the night-time curfew imposed in Alabanyo and Nkonya districts.
On June 23, the Ministry of Interior updated the night-time curfew hours for Alabanyo and Nkonya counties and surrounding areas in the Volta and Oti regions.
The curfew will restrict movement within designated areas between 6pm and 6am.
Alabanyo and Nkonya have been embroiled in a border dispute since 1923. The disputed area, rich in timber, bamboo and kola nuts, has been a source of violence for many years.
A variety of strategies have been adopted to manage the conflict, including military and police intervention, court rulings, peacebuilding efforts involving stakeholders, and mediation efforts.
In an interview with Citi News on Tuesday, Mamaga Ametore III said despite the historical conflict, the two townships have maintained peace for the past seven years and there was no need for the curfew to be renewed.
She expressed concern that the directive could undermine peace-building efforts between the two communities and stifle their development.
“We want to move forward, we want development. Now that there is peace, development is starting. The Ministry of Interior has imposed a curfew in Alabanyo and Nkonya, preventing development.”
“We want to bring development [but] Now development has been halted by a night-time curfew. It is mainly on the Alabango side. Even the Canadian Embassy has barred its staff from going to Alabango or Nkonya to address development issues because the places are not safe.”
“Currently there is a road between Alabanyo and Nkonya and we, or I think the government should develop it so that peace continues smoothly. The government has not done that. There is a REGSEC committee, there is a MUSEC committee in the area. We have no information from them.”
“Then the minister suddenly came out and imposed a curfew on Alabanyo and Nkonya, which is hindering the development of the area and that is why we are calling for the curfew to be lifted. [and] “Please do a proper investigation. There was conflict between us but that is in the past,” she said.
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