Sector Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Saddique Boniface, visited the area a week after renewed clashes between two youth groups there left one dead and several others injured.

Citi News checks in the area reveal that calm has returned with schools and shops which were closed now opened.

Police officers have also been stationed at vantage locations including some schools within the area.

A Kumasi Circuit has remanded 40 persons who were arrested during the conflict, and they are to reappear on 27^th March, 2018.

Alhaji Saddique Boniface, who held separate meetings with elders and youth of the Ahwiaa Zongo Community called on them to let peace prevail.

“The most important thing is to find ways and means of getting the people together. Yesterday, Monday], I was here, I spoke with the elders and today [ Tuesday], I have come to meet the youth to talk to them to exercise extra patience because for any development to come to an area, the most paramount, cardinal factor is peace. The President is someone who wants peace, and he has delegated me to come and speak with the residents”, he said.

He mentioned poverty, diseases, illiteracy and unemployment as some of the problems facing most communities in Ghana, and said Government was working hard to assist the youth to become good citizens.

The Minister called on the media to be circumspect when reporting on such issues in order not to escalate the already existing tension in the area.

The Madina Member of Parliament also denied reports that the conflict was not about Muslims and Christians, and was quick to add that it was a conflict between some two groups in the area.

He indicated that the Zongo community has co-existed peacefully with the locals in the area, and urged them to continue to live in harmony.

He further indicated that his inability to meet with the locals in the area was due to the fact that the Asante Chiefs were all attending a programme at the Manhyia Palace after the Asantehene returned from his recent international travels.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/Citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ahwiaa clashes: Zongo Development Minister urges calm appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Kwabre East Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Nana Assibey, who confirmed this on Eyewitness News also indicated that the police is on a manhunt for other culprits involved in the clashes.

Citi News’ Ashanti Regional Correspondent, Hafiz Tijani, had early on reported that business activities had to come to a halt as shops and schools were closed down as a result of the clashes.

[contextly_sidebar id=”XroLnxA0z8QHJvmVWVz78YUJjqUgY1zS”]Hafiz said the Police had to evacuate most of the students to a safer place.

“Most parents were also seen trooping in to pick up their wards. Residents in the area are indoors. There is a joint police and military patrol in the area currently,”he added.

Meanwhile, the Kwabre East Municipal Security Council has said it would intensify security to avert further clashes between the two youth groups.

This development comes a month after a similar incident which led to the destruction of properties including vehicles occurred, following a fierce battle between two youth groups.

Residents were forced to lock themselves indoors as a result of the situation.

Reports had indicated that the disturbances started when the Asante youth prevented their counterparts from the Zongo community, from partaking in the burial rites of an 18-year old girl by name, Esther Ampofowaa.

The Police subsequently arrested four suspects in connection with the incident.

The exact cause of the repeated clashes in the area is unclear.

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By: Marian Ansah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post One killed, 5 arrested in renewed clashes at Ahwiaa appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Committee is expected to monitor developments in the area which are likely to trigger any conflicts and provide recommendations on how to deal with the situation in its report to the District Security Council.

This follows recent disturbances between some youth groups in the area which resulted in a number of injuries the destruction of several.

Stakeholders on Sunday, February 18, 2018 held a reconciliation and a peace forum to sensitize the youth on how to tolerate one another and live in harmony.

The speakers, in turn, advised youth in the area to eschew acts that will disturb the peaceful co-existence between residents in the area.

Youth leaders from both the Zongo and the Asante communities pledged to ensure peace prevails in the area.

Leaders for the Zongo faction Musah Yakubu said they will continue to caution the youth against actions that will trigger any conflict in the community.

He said “From here, the way forward is to go back to them, sit them down and identify their problems. We will get to know what is actually leading to this because this is not the first time. So that, in the long run, we can have a lasting solution to this conflict.”

Richard Duah, who also represented the Asante youth, said “we are all here to talk about peace. As leaders of the youth here, we will make sure that peace prevails at Ahwiaa.”

District Chief Executive for the area, Nana Osei Assibey Bonsu said the District Security Council will station plainclothed police officers in a number of areas to monitor developments.

“As part of our peace plan, we have decided to engage the whole community so that we talk about peace to them. We have also set up a permanent committee in the area. They will deal with issues that may come up as a result of this conflict. I will advise the youth to be careful with their actions and utterances.”

Member of Parliament for the Kwabre East Constituency, Francisca Oteng, said the forum will go a long way to restore lasting peace in the area.

Some of the youth who spoke to Citi News disagreed with calls for the arrest of the persons behind the recent disturbances.

A member of the Ashanti Regional branch of the National Peace Council, Sheik Mohammed Kamil called on the media to use their platforms to preach peace.

Traditional and religious leaders, as well as Member of Parliament for the Kwabre East Constituency and members of the community, were all present at the event.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ahwiaa: Conflict Resolution C’ttee set up to avert future clashes appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

According to her, the cause of the conflict between the two groups cannot be justifiable, hence the need for the security to dig deeper and establish the real cause to be able to address the issues effectively.

[contextly_sidebar id=”PcJS4wqxj5pkP5LwVga5zi1K7bOJdNYb”]The MP believes a better probe into the incident will help prevent future incidents.

“We need to find out what is the root cause of this whole conflict, because if we just leave it at the fact that, it was just a young girl’s funeral and one party was refused from attending the funeral and it started the fight, then I do not think it is right thing,” she said.

According to her, there had been funerals in the past in the area that did not result in such conflicts, adding that, there could be a long-standing dispute between the various groups in the area that sparked the recent clash.

“There have been so many funerals in this area that I have witnessed myself, where you see different tribes greeting each other, whether the person is a Zongo person or is an Ashanti. You will see the other parties coming in to help and its something that has been very good for so many years,” she said

Properties including vehicles were demolished when a fierce battle ensued between two youth groups in the area. Residents in the community were forced to lock themselves indoors as a result of the situation.

Reports say the disturbances started when the Asante youth prevented their counterparts from the Zongo community from partaking in the burial rites of an 18-year old girl by name, Esther Ampofowaa on Friday.

It is unclear who the deceased person is, and what exactly might have led to her burial rites being the cause of the violent clash.

The Police arrested four suspects in connection with the violence on Saturday. Two of the suspects were in possession of locally manufactured pistols, while the two others had machetes with them.

They are being kept in police custody to assist in further investigations.

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By: Farida Yusif/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Kwabre East MP wants thorough probe into Ahwiaa youth clashes appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Council further says it will continue to monitor developments in the area to avert an escalation of the clashes between the feuding factions.

[contextly_sidebar id=”TINELwWQBvIxCCQCypNVenoAg1pmXtrH”]Reports indicated that, disturbances started when the Asante youth prevented their counterparts from the Zongo community from partaking in the burial celebrations of an 18-year old girl, known as Esther Ampofowaa on Friday.

The clashes saw the destruction of property, and residents in the community were forced to lock themselves indoors.

The District Chief Executive for the area, Nana Osei Assibey Bonsu told Citi News the Council will work to prevent an escalation of the tensions.

“We had meetings with the various sub-chiefs; the chief from the Ashanti side and the chief from the Zongo side. We met them [on Saturday] and as at now, everything is going on well so DISEC is on the ground doing its work to make sure that everything will come to a close.”

‘4 arrested after clashes’

The Police arrested four suspects in connection with the violence on Saturday.

Two of the suspects were in possession of locally manufactured pistols, while the two others had machetes with them.

They are being kept in police custody to assist in further investigations.

Reports say the disturbances started when the Asante youth prevented their counterparts from the Zongo community from partaking in the burial rites of an 18-year old girl by name, Esther Ampofowaa on Friday.

It is unclear who the deceased person is, and what exactly might have led to her burial rites being the cause of the violent clash.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Ahwiaa: DISEC to maintain security presence after clashes appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The Regional command, which was forced to deploy men as part of a joint police and military action to restore peace in the area wants the Regional Security Council to impose a dusk to dawn curfew in the town.

‘4 arrested after clashes’

The Police arrested four suspects in connection with the violence on Saturday.

Two of the suspects were in possession of a locally manufactured pistol each while the two others had machetes with them.

They are being kept in police custody to assist in further investigations.

What led to the clash?

Several properties including vehicles were vandalized on Saturday due to a fierce battle between two youth groups.

Residents in the community were forced to lock themselves indoors as a result of the situation.

Reports say the disturbances started when the Asante youth prevented their counterparts from the Zongo community from partaking in the burial celebrations of an 18-year old Esther Ampofowaa on Friday.

Addressing journalists after meeting with chiefs from both sides of the community, the Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, Fred Anim said the police will find a lasting solution to the long-standing feud between the two factions.

He said the police anticipate casualties from the clashes, he said the police is still assessing the situation.

Calm has since returned to the area but the police have said they are monitoring the situation to ensure absolute calm prevails.

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By: Jonas Nyabor/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post A/Region: Police recommend curfew in Ahwiaa over clashes appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Several properties including vehicles have been vandalized in the process, although the cause of the unrest is yet to be determined.

Residents in the community have locked themselves indoors leaving the entire area almost deserted.

The Military and the Police are currently combing the area to ensure there is absolute calm.

The Assembly Member for the Ahwiaa-Anyinam electoral area, Brenya Vasco who spoke to Citi News said the rivalry between the two groups dates back several decades.

“A certain misunderstanding between Asante line boys and Zongo line boys. It is a just a certain group of young boys. We don’t know who this came about but it has been happening since 1999. We’ve not seen any such conflict over the years but it is just yesterday it happened again,” he said.

The Police have since arrested some youth believed to been involved in the disturbances.

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By: Hafiz Tijani/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post A/Region: Heavy security presence at Ahwiaa after violent clashes appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.