President John Dramani Mahama has taken steps to restore calm in the Sawla-Bole Area of the Savannah Region.
A statement issued by Mr Felix Kwakye Ofosu, the Presidential Spokesman and Minister in charge of Government Communications, said President Mahama received a briefing from the National Security Coordinator and the Minister for the Interior on developments in the Sawla-Bole Area, upon his return from a state visit to Singapore.
It said that while in Singapore, the President spoke by telephone with the Yagbonwura, Jira Bikunuto Jewu Soale I, to discuss steps to end the conflict and restore peace between the Gonja and Brifor communities.
It said as part of this peace-building effort, the President had dispatched a Government Delegation, led by Alhaji Muntaka Mohamed-Mubarak, the Minister of the Interior, to meet the Yagbonwura and other key stakeholders in the area.
The statement said security had been reinforced with the deployment of an additional detachment of police and military personnel to the area.
It said President Mahama is urging all parties to support the initiatives underway to end the conflict, calm and restore normalcy in Bole and other communities.
“He has directed the government delegation to work with the regional security council, traditional leaders, and community stakeholders to promote dialogue and peacefully resolve outstanding disputes, to restore peace and uphold law and order,” the statement said.
What led to violence
Violent clashes in Gbiniyiri, Savannah Region, have escalated significantly, with the Chief’s Palace burnt down on August 26, 2025, amid an ongoing land dispute that has claimed at least six lives and left 18 others injured, according to reports.
The conflict, which began on August 24, 2025, has forced hundreds of residents, including women and children, to flee their homes, with some tragically drowning while attempting to cross the Black Volta River into Côte d’Ivoire.
The land dispute, reportedly over a parcel of land no larger than a room or a few containers, allegedly began after the local chief sold the land to a private developer, sparking opposition from community members.
The violence intensified on August 25 when the chief of Gbenyiri was allegedly ambushed by a rival faction while being escorted back to his community by the chief of Kalba, leading to further fatalities.
The Inspector-General of Police, Christian Tetteh Yohuno, led a high-level security delegation to the area on August 26, 2025, to engage chiefs and opinion leaders, and reinforcements from Accra have been deployed to Sawla, Gbiniyiri, and surrounding towns.
As of August 31, 2025, the death toll is confirmed at six, though some sources report higher figures, with the Savannah Peace Council citing over 16 deaths and more than 1,000 displaced.
The Ghana Red Cross has distributed emergency relief items, and displaced residents are being relocated to safer areas.
