Deadly clashes over land ownership in northern Ghana have left at least 31 people dead and displaced tens of thousands, officials confirmed on Thursday.
The violence broke out on August 24 in Gbiniyiri, a village in the Savannah Region near the Ivory Coast border, after a long-running land dispute escalated.
Tensions rose when the local chief sold land to a private developer without community consent.
Attempts by the developer to take possession of the land met with fierce resistance from residents, eventually leading to violent confrontations. The chief’s palace was torched as the crisis deepened.
According to Ghana’s National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), about 48,000 people — mainly women and children — have been forced to flee their homes, with some seeking refuge in makeshift camps.
Around 13,000 others have crossed into Ivory Coast, swelling the population of villages already hosting refugees from Burkina Faso.
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“Some families are crammed into single rooms, while others in camps survive on just one meal a day,” Savannah Regional NADMO Director Zakaria Mahama said.
Interior Minister Mubarak Muntaka disclosed that more than 700 security personnel have been deployed to restore calm, alongside a curfew. “For the past five days, we haven’t recorded any killings or attacks,” Mahama added, noting that some displaced persons have begun returning.
Authorities warn of looming food shortages after residents abandoned farms and livestock during the unrest.
Chiefs, elders, and the National Peace Council are working with an investigative committee to address the root causes and seek reconciliation.
Savannah Regional Minister Salisu Bi-Awuribe said peace efforts are underway, stressing that stability is gradually returning.