The Oti Regional Minister, John Kwadwo Gyapong, has attributed the recent killings and escalating tensions in Nkwanta and surrounding communities to a deepening land dispute driven by competing ownership claims.
Speaking on JoyNews’ AM Show on Friday, March 27, Mr Gyapong said the conflict is increasingly taking on the character of a struggle over land, with some groups asserting exclusive rights over the area.
According to him, certain factions believe Nkwanta rightfully belongs to them and are determined to enforce that claim, a situation he warned is undermining peace and stability.
He noted that narratives surrounding first settlement and traditional authority are being used to justify these positions.
“I hear some groups say they were the first to settle there and therefore own the land, even pointing to the existence of a paramount chief as justification, while others do not have one,” he explained.
Mr Gyapong said such arguments reinforce the perception that the unrest is rooted in issues of land ownership and identity.
On the security front, he disclosed that no arrests have yet been made in connection with the recent violence.
However, he revealed that two women were initially detained by security agencies following intelligence that they were allegedly planning to supply food to individuals linked to the attacks, but they have since been released.
