Affected persons in the Gbenyiri conflict have finally returned to their communities, bringing an end to their stay at the Sawla safety camp.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), working with the Ghana Red Cross Society, Olam Ghana and UN humanitarian agencies, facilitated their resettlement and closed down the camp, which had housed hundreds of men, women and children.
Security remains tight, with a curfew from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. still in force across Sawla-Tuna-Kalba and Bole districts.
Authorities have banned firearms, war regalia and multiple pillion riders on motorbikes to prevent further clashes. NADMO says security posts will be set up in affected communities, while patrols have been intensified.
Savannah Regional NADMO Director Zakaria Mahama said relief supplies were given to the returnees to ease their transition.
“Initially, most of them were reluctant to go home because of fear of attacks and because they had lost all their belongings. What to eat was their problem, but we have given them some relief items and beefed up security,” he explained, adding that more support will be mobilised.
Some victims expressed mixed emotions about returning. “We were happy to return home, but life has not been easy because our houses were burnt and our farms destroyed.
“At the camp, at least, we had food every day, but now we have to start life all over again,” said Samuel Abudu. Another victim, Asana Yussif, thanked humanitarian agencies for their assistance but urged authorities to ensure security forces remain in the communities.
“We are still afraid. We only hope the security men will stay so that there won’t be fighting any longer,” she said.
The August 24 conflict, triggered by a land dispute, left 31 people dead, displaced nearly 48,000 and destroyed several homes across more than a dozen communities.
While some returnees in Côte d’Ivoire have made their way back, others in Burkina Faso continue to request relief aid, as authorities and partners work to restore lasting peace in Gbenyiri.
