Alhaji Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak, Minister for the Interior, has inaugurated a seven-member committee to mediate and propose lasting solutions to the Gbiniyiri conflict.
The committee’s mandate includes facilitating the safe and dignified return of displaced persons, assessing the scope and dynamics of the conflict, and evaluating losses and damages caused by the violence.
Within one month, the committee is also expected to recommend economic measures to restore livelihoods and establish mechanisms for continuous monitoring, evaluation, and reporting on resettlement, reconstruction, and reconciliation efforts.
At the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Mubarak reaffirmed the Ministry’s commitment to providing the necessary secretarial and logistical support to ensure the committee fulfills its mandate effectively.
Gbiniyiri, a town in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba District of the Savannah Region, has been in turmoil since August 23, 2025, when violent clashes displaced about 50,000 residents from the town and surrounding communities. The conflict has also resulted in loss of lives and widespread destruction of property.
The Minister urged the committee to carry out its work with impartiality, transparency, and inclusiveness, stressing that their recommendations will have far-reaching implications for peace, stability, and development in the Savannah Region.
“Engage with all stakeholders- traditional authorities, opinion leaders, civil society, and the security agencies – so that peace and trust can be rebuilt in Gbiniyiri and its surrounding communities,” he said.
“I also encourage you to leverage partnerships with civil society organisations, development partners, and faith-based institutions as you carry out this noble task.”
The committee has Mr Emmanuel HabukaBombande as Chairman Dr George Amoh, former Secretary of National Peace Council, as the secretary, and Mr Collins Dauda, Member of Parliament for Asutifi South, as member.
Other members are Reverend Father Lazarus Annyereh, Chair of Savannah Regional Peace Council; Dr. Festus Aubyn, West Africa Network for Peacebuilding; Madam Sylvia HornameNoagbesenu, Acting Director, Women, Youth, Peace and Security Institute, Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, and Professor Ramatu Alhassan, an academician specialising in Agriculture.
Mr Bombande expressed appreciation to the Government for reposing trust in the capabilities of committee members and for giving them the opportunity to serve the country.
“The committee will be working vigorously to be able to see what can be done to assuage the suffering, particularly of our displaced people, including those who cross our borders,” he said.
