BY Grace Zigah
The Bole District, the hometown of President John Dramani Mahama in the Savannah Region, has once again been engulfed in deadly ethnic clashes between Gonjas and Lobis, raising fears of a wider security crisis in the area.
At least a dozen people are feared dead following the violent confrontations, while hundreds of residents have fled the town and surrounding villages in search of safety.
Root Causes of the Violence
The clashes are the latest flare-up in a long-running dispute between the Gonja and Lobi ethnic groups, largely fueled by unresolved chieftaincy disputes, land ownership struggles, and competing claims over traditional authority.
The Gonjas, who hold dominant control in the Savannah Region, have historically clashed with the Lobis, who trace their origins to parts of Ghana, Burkina Faso, and Côte d’Ivoire.
The renewed violence comes amid decades of sporadic confrontations.
In previous outbreaks, including one in 2018 and another in 2020, scores were injured and property worth thousands of cedis destroyed.
Yet, despite repeated interventions by government and traditional leaders, a lasting settlement has remained elusive.
Government’s Immediate Response
In a swift move to contain the escalating situation, the Minister for the Interior, acting on the advice of the National Security Council, imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew on Bole township and its environs.
The restriction, which took effect on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, runs from 6:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m. until further notice.
Security personnel, including military and police officers, have been deployed to enforce the curfew and prevent reprisal attacks.
“The measure is necessary to safeguard lives and property in the area and to prevent further escalation of the conflict,” the Ministry announced in a statement.
Political and Social Undertones
The violence has sparked debates about the politicization of tribal conflicts in Ghana.
Some voices have drawn parallels with the disturbances in Daboya/Mankarigu in 2023, when a section of the then opposition accused Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia of being behind the unrest — claims that were widely dismissed as propaganda.
Observers argue that the current situation in Bole should not be linked to President Mahama simply because it is his hometown.
Instead, they warn against turning tribal conflicts into political weapons, noting that such propaganda only fuels division and undermines national unity.
Humanitarian Toll
For residents of Bole and nearby towns like Sawla and Gbenyiri, the crisis has created an atmosphere of fear and despair.
Local sources report that at least 12 people were killed in Gbenyiri due to a land dispute connected to the clashes, while families continue to flee to safer areas.
Markets, schools, and public offices have all shut down in the affected communities, with displaced families seeking refuge in neighboring towns.
The calls are growing for government and religious leaders to provide emergency humanitarian support, including shelter, food, and medical care.
Civil society groups, chiefs, and religious leaders in the Savannah Region are appealing for calm and dialogue.
Many have urged both Gonjas and Lobis to channel their grievances through peaceful negotiations rather than violence.
