General News of Saturday, 13 October 2018

Source: mynewsgh.com

Angry residents beat Atebubu MCE, stone policemen and vandalize vehicles

The MCE had gone there with tax mobilization task force to collect Business Operation Permit The MCE had gone there with tax mobilization task force to collect Business Operation Permit

The Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Atebubu-Amantin in the Brong Ahafo Region escaped what could have passed for his last day on earth as angry residents pounced on him and nearly lynched him.

Hon. Edward Owusu who managed to be rescued and taken to safety by some armed policemen who had accompanied him to the scene had the windshield of his official Nissan Patrol cross-country vehicle vandalized by the irate residents.

The Toyota Tundra vehicle of the police was equally not spared by the charged youth who bayed for the blood of the cops claiming they were providing cover to the MCE to perpetuate an illegality and put them out of business.

Sources confirmed to MyNewsGh.com that the driver of the DCE and some cops were injured after being hit by stones pelted at them by the residents who would not stop even as warning shots were fired.

According to MyNewsGh.com checks, the government appointee had stormed Amantim in the company of a tax mobilization task force to collect Business Operation Permit (BOP) from shop owners.

In the process, he was said to have directed his men to lock up shops of defaulters ranging between GH¢120 and GH¢400 and promising to open them for business if only the owners paid up their indebtedness to the assembly.

Some youth of the town who had gotten wind of the presence of the MCE and his entourage and how they were locking up shops which happened the same way at Atebubu a fortnight ago, stormed the place.

Wielding life-threatening objects and determined to cause harm, they disrupted the locking up of the shops and vented their spleen on the DCE and his men who had to seek cover.

In the process, they vandalized the shield of his official vehicle with registration number GN 2270-11 and the Tundra belonging to the police service.
Sensing danger, the police fired warning shots sporadically and managed to whisk the DCE and his injured driver away from the hostile youth who were seen pelting stones even as they drove off.

Our source reveals that the Municipal Security Committee (MUSEC) meeting was immediately convened in order to determine the next line of action with the MCE tight-lipped over what actually transpired when reached for his comments.