A long-standing chieftaincy dispute in the Central Region erupted into deadly violence over the weekend, leaving four people dead, at least ten critically injured, and significant property damage in its wake.
According to local authorities, the incident unfolded in Agona Abodom, a farming town in the Agona West Municipality, during the celebration of the community’s annual Akwanbo Festival. The violence was reportedly triggered when a rival claimant to the local stool allegedly enlisted a group of suspected landguards—individuals often hired for private security or intimidation in land disputes—to disrupt the festivities.
What began as a tense confrontation quickly escalated. By the time security forces arrived, four individuals, all believed to be members of the invading group, had been killed. Police say ten more people sustained serious injuries and are receiving treatment at a local hospital.
Two vehicles and numerous properties were destroyed in the clashes, including parts of the chief’s palace, where furniture and fixtures were vandalized.
Security personnel managed to rescue several of the suspected landguards from being lynched by irate townspeople. Others fled the scene. Authorities have since deployed additional police to the area in a bid to restore calm.
Agona Abodom has endured more than four decades of chieftaincy-related tensions, with a new chief only recently installed earlier this year. The weekend’s violence marks a dramatic setback in efforts to stabilize local governance.
“This situation is spiraling,” said Alex Donkor, assemblyman for the Agona Abodom Electoral Area. “We urgently need increased military and police presence to ensure the safety of residents.”
Eyewitnesses reported widespread fear among residents, many of whom are calling for government intervention to prevent further unrest
Ghana’s chieftaincy system, a constitutionally recognized institution, remains a powerful cultural and political force in many parts of the country, though disputes over succession and land rights continue to spark conflict in some communities.
