Tensions are rising in the Aowin municipality of the Western North region as a water boundary dispute threatens the long-standing peace between the neighbouring communities of Boinso and Jema.
At the centre of the disagreement is the Eholu River, a natural boundary that has separated the two towns for generations. Residents fear that attempts to redraw this traditional boundary could spark violence and disrupt years of peaceful co-existence.
Boinso, a farming community of about four thousand people, has historically shared a peaceful relationship with Jema. Like many settlements in the municipality, both communities depend heavily on farming for survival, with the Eholu river serving as a critical resource.
Beyond its economic importance, the river has long been recognised by traditional authorities as the permanent physical boundary defining land ownership and influence between the two communities.
However, residents of Boinso allege that there are moves to shift the boundary away from the river’s original course. They say such an action threatens their ancestral lands and inheritance.
Traditional leaders, including Nana Kojo Miah III, Chief of Boinso, and Nana Joseph Appiah, the Mbrantehene, have expressed concern over the situation and warned that altering the boundary could lead to serious land disputes.
Residents argue that changing the boundary could ignite conflict between families who have lived together peacefully for decades.
The local Assembly Member, Louis Tetteh, has also called on the government and relevant authorities to intervene swiftly to prevent the situation from escalating and to protect the long-standing harmony in the Aowin Municipality.
As the Eholu River continues to flow, residents of both Boinso and Jema are urging authorities to act promptly to ensure that the waters of peace do not turn turbulent.
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