The chiefs and people of Alavanyo and Nkonya in the Volta Region has issued a joint letter of apology to President John Dramani Mahama for the reported shooting incidents in the two warring neighbouring traditional areas.
The sides said they felt they had let the President down, having resolved not to fight each other at a meeting with President Mahama, last year.
Nanai Ampem Darko III, Ankobenhene of Nkonya, who presented the letter through Madam Helen Ntoso, Volta Regional Minister, on behalf of the two traditional areas, said though the incidents were not �directly or indirectly planned and executed� by either of the traditional leadership, they felt those acts were the reason for which they met President Mahama.
He said the leadership of the two traditional areas remained committed to peace and �envision a future where a child of Alavanyo parentage raised in a peaceful environment would grow up and be willing to take off his/her blanket and cover his brother from Nkonya who is out there in the cold and vice versa.�
Nanai Ampem Darko appealed to the Police to help the peace process by isolating and dealing with criminal acts decisively, saying, �We believe that when the few who commit these crimes are arrested and prosecuted, there would be no calls for revenge from any quarter, if this is done, individual responsibility would have been clearly established.�
He appealed to the Ministry of the Interior through the Regional Security Council to review the curfew imposed on the two communities, which he said, was having negative impact on education and socio-economic activities of their people.
Madam Ntoso expressed excitement at the initiative and described it as �bold.�
She asked the two traditional areas to collaborate and �smoke out� people who hide behind the land dispute between the two to foment trouble.
Madam Ntoso said the Government wanted everlasting peace in that area and assured that the Regional Coordinating Council would not side with any of the factions.
The Reverend Monsignor Anthony Kornu, Chairman of Volta Regional Peace Council, described the apology from the two traditional areas as �extremely refreshing� and a �problem-solving initiative.�
He said it could be a critical step towards the journey to rebuilding lasting relationships between the two areas.
Monsignor Kornu asked the two sides to let go past bitterness and work together to redress grievances.
On October 9, this year, an off-duty soldier on peace-keeping was fired at, at Alavanyo-Kpeme.
Unknown gunmen also fired into the Alavanyo Deme Township on November 25. Similar shooting incidents happened at Alavanyo Kpeme on November 26 and 27.
Also on November 28, a 54 year-old man from Alavanyo-Wudidi was shot and killed while going to the farm.
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