Rachel Appoh urges calm as New Winneba land dispute claims three lives

Former Member of Parliament Rachel Appoh has called for calm in the wake of a violent land dispute in New Winneba, which resulted in three deaths and 19 injuries, including a police officer. Speaking on September 3, 2026, Appoh expressed her dismay at the use of firearms and illegal means to resolve the long-standing land dispute between residents of Gomoa Oguaakrom and New Winneba.

She emphasized that New Winneba is part of the Gomoa Central Constituency, not the Winneba Constituency. Appoh lamented that previous efforts to address the issue through meetings with traditional authorities and legal means, dating back to 2012, had not yielded any fruitful results. While acknowledging her role in assisting constituents through government institutions and legal structures, she stressed that her responsibility as an MP did not extend to physically intervening in land disputes.

Appoh urged traditional authorities, community leaders, the Lands Commission, security agencies, and the courts to cooperate within their respective roles to resolve the conflict. She vehemently condemned any attempt by citizens to take the law into their own hands, warning that no land dispute is worth losing human lives. Appoh appealed for dialogue, adherence to the law, and peaceful resolution of the issue, urging all parties to choose dialogue over violence, and peace over conflict.