Regional News of Saturday, 20 March 2021

Source: Daniel Kaku, Contributor

Akango/Adamus clash: Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira MP visits late Akulugu's family, community

The MP and his entourage visited the family of the bereaved The MP and his entourage visited the family of the bereaved

Following the alleged shooting and killing of Adomkpaka Akulugu by an officer of the Ghana Police Service on Thursday, March 11, 2021 over a clash between some youth of Akango and Adamus Mining Company, the Member of Parliament (MP) for Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira Constituency of the Western Region, Kofi Arko Nokoe has visited the community to ascertain what brought about the clash.

The MP and his entourage took the opportunity to visit the bereaved family of the late Adomkpaka Akulugu who was shot and killed during the clash by an unidentified police officer to express his deepest condolences to them.

He left behind a wife whose name is Rose Assuah and two kids.

Nana Akulugu and Mrs. Comfort Akulugu are his parents.

The remains of Adomkpaka Akulugu is still at Axim Government Hospital morgue and the family is expected to bury him on Tuesday, March 23, 2021 at Akango in the Evalue-Ajomoro Gwira Constituency.

Addressing the chiefs, the youth and the bereaved family on Wednesday, March 17, the MP, Kofi Arko Nokoe apologized to the community for not visiting them a day after the incident.

"I will take this opportunity to ask you to forgive me for not visiting you earlier, it was not my intention, when I heard about the sad news I was in Ho for workshop about the 2021 Budget so that why I couldn't be here earlier but now that I have come I will liaise with the Chief of Akango, opinion leaders to look into the matter", he explained.

He also took the opportunity to thank the youth for their restrained reaction to the death of their colleague that could have resulted in uncontrollable violence.

Kofi Arko Nokoe pledged his full commitment to resolve the differences between the youth and the company amicably.

He also promised them to summon the Interior Minister before Parliament House to explain to the country why the yet-to-be-identified police officer shot the youth to death.

"There should be investigations, and I will make a statement before the floor of Parliament House to summon to the Interior Minister to tell us why a police officer will just shoot an unarmed civilian to death", he stated.

"I will not allow this case to die off, that police officer who shot the youth to death must be identified and face the law, anytime a police officer does barbaric act, that police officer will go unpunished but in this case we will not let it to be a foolish case", he said.

He disclosed that the NDC Western Regional Caucus in Parliament was going to meet the Adamus Mining Company on Friday on the matter.

He called on the youth of the area to remain calm and patient as he works hard to find justice for the late Adomkpaka Akulugu.

The MP promised to support the family especially the two children of the late Adomkpaka Akulugu.

On her part, the wife of the late Adomkpaka Akulugu, Rose Assuah disclosed how she received the sad news about her husband's death.

She is therefore, appealing to government to help take care of her children "now that my husband is not alive I don't have any help to care of them so unless government so I will appeal to government to take care of them to grow up and get work to do. We have two kids, one is 5 years and 3 years, the elder is attending school".

Nana Akulugu, the father of the late Adomkpaka Akulugu, who couldn't hold back his tears, said he doesn't have anything to do "I just need my son to bury".

He, therefore, appealed to the Adamus Mining Company to take care of the widow and the kids.

"I am sad, I don't have anything to say but right now look at my age, I can't work and take care of the two kids left so I will tell the company to take care of them, this is what I say", he concluded.

The late Adomkpaka Akulugu met his untimely death on one of the sites of Adamus Mining Company at Akango on Thursday, March 11, 2021, where the youth of Akango realized that an excavator belonging to the company has damaged electric wires belonging to the ECG and had affected the entire community for getting light for continuous three days.

According to the youth, when they went, they only chanted "No light no Work" but unfortunately the police on duty shot and killed the late Adomkpaka Akulugu.

This reporter had visited the place and observed that after the death of the youth, some youth also set ablaze of the company's vehicle.

The two riffles which belong to the Ghana Police Service that got missing after the incident have been retrieved and returned to the police.