Military decry encroachment on land near armouries

Ghanaian military officials Monday decried the massive encroachment on land near military armouries and barracks, saying a large number of the civilian population risked death in case of any mishap at these sites.

The Ghana News Agency quoted military sources as saying that armouries, usually sited out of town because of the dangers they posed, were now virtually at the doorsteps of unsuspecting civilians. The warning comes against the backdrop of an explosion at an ammunitions dump in Lagos, Nigeria that claimed at least 1,000 lives.

The Michel Camp at Tema, just outside the capital, and which military officials describe as a highly sensitive depot, was originally far away from the civilian population, but is now less than 500 metres within civilian reach. This they said was volatile.

In Kumasi, the second largest city, 324 hectares that was acquired for the military barracks and armoury was now left with 142 hectares and the civilian population is lees than 200 metres away. The officials said the situation at other barracks across the country was the same.

The change has been blamed on both civilians and successive governments. An officer noted that the problem was more of civilian infiltration and encroachment on military territory due to attractive infrastructure development at the barracks.

However, another cause was the non-payment of compensations for expropriated land. Sources in the Army conceded that adequate compensation was not paid for land acquired for the military establishment, hence the encroachment.

They also indicated their utmost displeasure about the huge number of civilians living in the barracks.

"The environment of military installations and establishments are not conducive for civilian habitation," one officer noted, in reaction to the armoury explosion in Lagos.

"Our children and dependants over 18 years, by military regulations, are not expected to stay in the barracks, but now these laws have been flouted thereby opening the barracks to large civilian populations."

He explained that military establishments and installations were to be sited far from civilian populations because of occupational hazards associated with military operations, even in times of peace.

Meanwhile, the Foundation for Security Development in Africa (FOSDA) has called on the government to immediately take appropriate measures to ensure the safety of civilians near military installations.

The Ghanaian News Agency quoted FOSDA associate executive director Afi Yakubu as saying the authorities "need to consider either relocating the civilians or the military depending on the cost, convenience and other relating logistics." She said the Nigerian situation should serve as wake-up call for Ghana to separate civilians from the military.

Yakubu also appealed to the Lands Commission, the ministries of Defence, Local Government and Rural Development and the Interior to regulate and demarcate military lands and zones as a matter or urgency.