“When the conflict started, I was compelled to move to the Sawla police station with my three children and my mother for safety,” Abena, a victim of the Gbiniyiri land dispute in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba district of the Savannah Region, recounts her ordeal.
According to her, the safety of her family is her top priority, and that she is making efforts to relocate to Southern Ghana.
“We have gone hungry for days because we fled our communities with nothing. The conflict is so scary that we had no choice but to seek shelter at the police station,” she said.
Madam Abena has appealed to the government for assistance in resolving the ongoing conflict in the area.
Hundreds of residents especially women and children from Gbiniyiri and surrounding communities, have sought refuge at the Sawla police station where they have been given temporal tents to accommodate them due to the conflict.
The conflict has had a devastating impact on women, children, and vulnerable individuals, with women often bearing the burden of the hardships associated with violence, displacement, and trauma.
Children who have fled with their mothers face the risk of losing access to education, which could lead to a generation at risk of poverty and instability.
It is crucial to integrate gender-sensitive approaches in peace-building and humanitarian efforts, ensuring that the voices of women and children are included in the development of policies aimed at achieving sustainable development in post-conflict areas.
Information gathered by DAILY GUIDE, indicated that the conflict occurred over a parcel of land between two factions and has resulted in the deaths of about five individuals, with several others sustaining gunshot wounds during the clash.
The Gbiniyiri Chief’s palace, in the Savannah region, was burnt into ashes.
The Paramount Chief of Sawla, Sawlawura Abdulai Nungbaso, has called for ceasefire between the two feuding factions in the area.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Christian Tetteh Yohuno, led a team from the National Police Headquarters to the Savannah Region to assess the security situation involving the Sawla, Gbiniyiri, and Giniri communities.
He engaged with chiefs, opinion leaders, and other community leaders to seek lasting peace.
He disclosed that about 300 police personnel have been deployed to the Sawla area to help restore calm between the feuding factions.
The IGP urged the feuding factions to remain calm and work with the security teams to ensure lasting peace in Sawla and its environs.
Meanwhile, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), have commenced the distribution of food to the women and children seeking shelter at the Sawla police station.
However, the food is said not enough to cater for the growing population who continue to troop to the police station for protection.
The Sustainable Development Goal 16 (SDG 16) focuses on promoting peace, justice, and strong institutions, directly relating to security. It aims to, “promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all, and build effective, accountable, and inclusive institutions at all levels.”
Curfew Imposed
The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed-Mubarak, on the advice of the National Security Council and by Executive Instrument, imposed a curfew on the Bole Township and its environs in the Savannah Region from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am, effective August 27, 2025, until further notice, following the land issues causing security threats in the area.
A statement signed by Mr Mohammed-Mubarak, urged chiefs, opinion leaders, youth, and people of the area to exercise restraint in the face of the challenges confronting them and to use non-violent means to channel their energies into ensuring peace in the area.
Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry, has banned the carrying of firearms, ammunition, or any offensive weapons, adding that any person found with any firearms or ammunition will be arrested and prosecuted.
Again, no two or more persons should be seen on motorbikes throughout the day and no war regalia should be worn throughout the day.
FROM Eric Kombat, Sawla