President John Dramani Mahama has moved swiftly to address renewed ethnic tensions in the country’s Savannah Region, dispatching his Interior Minister to lead a high-level peace mission in the conflict-prone Sawla-Bole district.
The intervention follows reports of escalating friction between members of the Gonja and Brifor communities. Returning from a state visit to Singapore, Mr. Mahama received briefings from both the National Security Coordinator and the Minister of the Interior. The president also held a phone consultation with Yagbonwura Jira Bikunuto Jewu Soale I, the traditional overlord of the Gonja kingdom, to explore avenues for reconciliation.
In response to the deteriorating situation, the president directed the Interior Ministry to spearhead peace talks, tapping senior lawmaker Muntaka Mohamed-Mubarak to head the delegation. The group is expected to meet with traditional leaders, regional security officials, and local community actors to broker a truce and prevent further escalation.
In tandem with the diplomatic push, security forces have bolstered their presence in the area, with additional police and military personnel deployed as a precautionary measure.
“The government remains steadfast in its commitment to ensuring peace, law, and order,” a statement from the presidency said, calling on all sides to engage constructively in dialogue.
The Sawla-Bole area has experienced periodic outbreaks of violence in recent years, often rooted in disputes over land, chieftaincy, and ethnic rivalries. Analysts say the situation underscores broader challenges facing the country’s northern regions, where governance is frequently intertwined with complex traditional allegiances.
