Regional Minister takes tough stand against criminals

Anum, (E/R) May 21, GNA - The Eastern Regional Minister, Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, has warned that as long as he remained the Chairman of the Regional Security Committee, nobody would be allowed to take the law into his own hands. He also assured the Police that the necessary support and encouragement would be given them to enable them to be above criminal activities in the region to allow people to go about their duties peacefully without fear.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo was speaking at the inauguration of a new GHC 130,000 Police Station at Anum. He disclosed that the Police, at dawn on Thursday, arrested 70 suspects at Asenema who allegedly participated in the destruction and burning of a house of a fetish priest in the town and some houses of the relatives of the fetish priest on mere suspicion. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said when the fetish priest sought the assistance of the Police to collect the remains of his property from the village the suspects chased the vehicle and set it on fire burning it completely and all the property of the fetish priest.

Mr Ofosu-Ampofo said earlier when the Chief of Adukrom, Nana Otutu Kono, who had oversight responsibility over the village tried to mediate in the disturbances the suspects ended up deflating the tyres of his car parked outside the palace.

He said if such indiscipline was allowed to continue, the country would end up in anarchy and advised the youth to resort to peaceful means in the resolution of their grievances rather than taking the law into their hands. Mr Ofosu-Ampofo appealed to the Police Administration to increase the number of personnel at the Police Station who were only three. He urged the chiefs and people of Anum to release their houses to be used as police barracks to enable the officers have accommodation upon posting.

The District Chief Executive, Mr Johnson Ahiakpor, expressed his appreciation for the peaceful conditions existing in the Anum area, which had helped in the early completion of the station. He advised the youth of the area to respect authority, especially traditional rulers, to help minimize the cases that would be sent to the Police.

In a speech read on behalf of the Paramount Chief of Anum, Nana Appiah Kumi, he appealed for an increase in the number of police personnel in the town.

The Akosombo Divisional Commander of Police, Chief Superintendent A. A. Adjei, appealed to the District Assembly to build barracks for the Police since the old Police Station had collapsed and officers did not have anywhere to stay. 21 May 10