The Volta Regional Security Council has stated that the Ho Central Mosque will remain closed until the feuding factions reach a consensus on its leadership.
The mosque was shut down after a dispute over its leadership escalated into a shooting incident.
Muslim youth in the Ho Zongo community have been calling for its reopening, saying they have been forced to observe their Ramadan prayers in open spaces.
Speaking to Citi News, the Volta Regional Minister, James Gunu, said the continued closure of the mosque is necessary to prevent further violence and maintain peace in the area.
“We deliberated over this, and we took a decision once again to ensure that the mosque remains closed because if you open the mosque now, who leads the prayer at the mosque will still be an issue. And we don’t want any disturbances. So the decision has been taken by the regional security council once again to ensure that the mosque remains closed. The factions involved in this regional chief Imamship incident are able to come to a compromise to ensure that there is absolute peace before we can open the mosque,” he said.
The regional Minister also disclosed that the Volta Regional Peace Council has proposed the construction of an additional mosque for one of the feuding factions.
He noted that although some individuals involved in the dispute have objected to the proposal, efforts are ongoing to get the factions to come to an agreement.
“We looked at the report, and one of the things recommended by the regional peace council was the construction of another mosque so that one of the factions can move in there. The indication that we are getting is that some of them are saying that even if there is a new mosque, they are not ready to go there.
“We have assigned some of the security personnel to engage the factions, so we have a lot of work going on in the background to ensure that there is absolute peace,” he stated.
The Volta Regional Security Council (REGSEC), in consultation with the Ministry of Interior, ordered the temporary closure of the Ho Central Mosque for two weeks, effective Thursday, January 1, 2026, over an ongoing leadership dispute within the Muslim community.
In a statement signed by the Volta Regional Minister on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, the council said the decision was taken in the interest of peace and security, following tensions over claims by two individuals to the position of Regional Chief Imam.
The Regional Security Council (REGSEC) also declared the disputed area a crime scene to facilitate investigations until a permanent resolution is reached.
