Twenty-two persons have been admitted to the hospital for gunshot wounds following a communal clash over who has authority to perform traditional rituals at Bibiani in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Municipality in the Western North region.
Twelve of these are currently receiving treatments at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) while ten others are receiving treatments at Bibiani Government Hospital.
Some of them sustained wounds and bruises from machetes and stone pelting while others received gunshot wounds.
The misunderstanding ensued when the youths of Bibiani in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai municipality in the Western North region prevented a delegation from the Anhwiaso Traditional Area from performing traditional rituals at the River Mensin to pave the way for Asante Gold Corporation, a large-scale mining firm, to start operations in the area.
The youth said they did not understand why a traditional leader from another part of the traditional area should be the one performing the rituals when they have a chief in the area.
The Bibiani youths argued that if the rituals were performed by the people from Anhwiaso, the youth from Bibiani would not get jobs from the company.
The challenge quickly degenerated into a heated argument between the youths and the delegation from Anhwiaso Traditional Area, with the former insisting it is the chief of Sehwi Bibiani who has the right to perform the rituals.
A local reporter, Kwamena Fynn, told 3FM’s Sunrise on Friday hosted by Alfred Ocansey that calm has returned since the police over the situation.
Kwamena Fynn said the Bibiani Divisional Police Commander, ACP James Amoako Achamfour, and his men were able to calm down tempers.
