We can’t be penalized for somebody’s offence – Nkonya, Alavanyo Chiefs

The Paramount Chiefs and Queen mothers of Nkonya and Alavanyo have described as unfair the Regional House of Chiefs decision to suspend them indefinitely for failing to address the recurring conflict between the two towns.

Two persons were shot dead while two others who sustained gunshot injuries on Wednesday are battling for their lives in hospital in a renewed conflict between the two sides.

The renewed violence occurred barely hours after a curfew imposed on the area in view of the violence there, was reviewed on Wednesday.

Alavanyo and Nkonya have been under a dusk-to-dawn curfew over a protracted land dispute spanning almost a century.

The Volta Regional Minister, Achibald Letsa told the media Thursday evening that the police are working to arrest perpetrators of the violence.

The decision by the Regional House of Chiefs is to force the two traditional authorities to take responsibility for the actions of their people.

But the Queenmother of Alavanyo Mamagah Ametor II in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM said it is unfair to hold the traditional leaders responsible for someone’s criminal offence.

“We don’t know why they are doing that, because this is not conflict. This is a criminal act and a criminal act, individuals are doing it, so they should look for the individual and not the Chiefs. The Chiefs are not in the town. Somebody went to do a criminal act, why should the Chiefs be punished? This is not a fight between the Nkonya and Alavanyo. Some individuals are doing these, and why should the Chief be punished for that.

“Even in our various homes;your children, how many of them can you be able to control and this is a community issue. Over 2000 people under your umbrella and then one person is doing some criminal act how could you identify that this is the person? This is not conflict. It is different from conflict. We’ve left conflict behind and so why should they be attacked. Even as of today, I called somebody from Nkonya,we spoke so there is nothing going on between us.

For his part, the Chief of Nkonya Ahodwo, Nana Ampem Dako III charged the Police to arrest the culprits instead of blaming the traditional authorities.