What was the Security and Intelligence basis for the renewal of the curfew imposed on the Alavanyo and Nkonya general areas?

The Minister of Interior by an Executive Instrument renewed the curfew imposed on the Alavanyo and Nkonya townships and their environs in the Oti Region from 6 pm to 6am effective Sunday, June 23, 2024.

I wish to draw your attention that no one is obeying the curfew hours and no Security Agents are enforcing the curfew.

From early 2022, I have at various periods lived under curfew imposed by the Minister of Interior on Nkwanta (Oti Region), the Bawku general area, and Kandiga and Doba in the Kassena-Nankana general area of the Upper East Region. In all these areas, the locals have complied with, and the Military, the Police and Intelligence Agencies have enforced the curfew hours.

So, you could imagine my surprise when I noted that the curfew hours were not being obeyed by the locals and enforced by the Security Agents in the Nkonya general area.

On different days, I drove from 9 pm through these Nkonya towns: Sibrisu, Adenkinsu, Debri, Bumbula, Wuropong, Tepo, Ntumda, Ahinkro and Asakyiri. I noted that no one was obeying the curfew hours, and the Security Agents were also not enforcing the curfew hours. The Police at Ahinkoro and the Ntumda snapcheck point did not seem to have any business enforcing the curfew hours. The soldiers at their base some 2 km from the main road and into the bush at Nkonya-Kpoji were focussed on their deployments in the bush.

Between 9.15 pm and 9.36pm on a particular day at Nkonya-Ahinkoro, I noted that “provisions” stores were opened, drinking sports were working, some locals were sitting outside their houses, and others were walking along the town road.

So, there is this misaligned situation of the Minister of Interior going to bed at night thinking he has imposed curfew on the Nkonya general area, and no one is obeying or enforcing the Minister’s lawful orders!!

I spoke with some locals who said they suspected that because the Minister of Interior is new at the Ministry, he had no presence of mind to request for briefing from the Biakoye DISEC, Hohoe MUSEC, the Oti REGSEC, and the Volta REGSEC; before renewing the curfew hours on Nkonya and Alavanyo.

Some youth said they suspected that there were some lazy officials at the Interior Ministry who misled their Minister and the nation by causing the curfew hours to be imposed without checking the reality on the ground.

The locals wish to know the Security and Intelligence basis for the continual automatic renewal/imposition of the curfew hours on Nkonya and Alavanyo.

To me, the shortest and less time-consuming route traveling in a vehicle from Accra to the Northern Region is driving on the good roads from Asikuma junction, and through Peki, Have, Kpando, Nkonya, Worawora, Apesokubi to Dambai; and across the Oti river by pontoon, and driving through Banda, Kpandai, Wulensi, Bimbilla, Yendi to Tamale.

Some of the enjoyable resting and victualing places along the route are in the Nkonya towns, especially at the Paradise and Prestige hotels at Nkonya-Ntumuda. Locals and travellers should have the choice to enjoy the nightly pleasures in the Nkonya area without curfew restrictions.

Will the Minister of National Security cause an investigation into this bizarre security and intelligence failure in the Nkonya general area? Is there a 6pm-6am curfew not? Whose responsibility is it to enforce the curfew?

The locals need explanations from the Minister of National Security on the inability of his government to construct the two link roads between Nkonya and Alavanyo: (1). The road from Alavanyo-Kpeme to Nkonya-Tayi and to the Nkonya SHS, and (2). The road between Alavanyo-Kpeme and Nkonya-Koji and to Ntsumuru. According to the youth, if the government was serious to resolving the Nkonya-Alavanyo feuding, it would have constructed the two link roads to facilitate trade and other economic relations as well as social interactions between the people of Nkonya and Alavanyo.

The locals said they need explanations on why the government has not constructed military barracks and training camp in the forest between Nkonya and Alavanyo.

I shall return!

Owula Mangortey
Nkonya-Ntumuda
11th August 2024