Stay away from Military lands - Addo-Kufuor

Encroaching on military lands is very dangerous due to the storage of high explosives and ammunition in such places, Dr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of Defence said on Tuesday.

He said although the Ghana Armed Forces was ensuring that its magazines did not pose danger to residents around, it was always dangerous to live close to Military barracks.

The Minister, who was answering parliamentary questions, said the Nigerian experience where scores of civilians were killed when a Military armoury exploded should guide Ghanaians.

He said the Military was relocating armouries in densely populated areas to places that were quite remote and ideal for ammunition storage and supply practices.

"It should also be noted that the land size in each case could contain the maximum safety distances of all natures of ammunition held in the Ghana Armed Forces."

He said planners of military installations around the country, sited these armouries and magazines away from civil residential areas, adding, "however with time, the expansion of civil dwelling areas has caught up with all military barracks, offices and training areas."

The Minister cited the Base Ammunition Depot in Michel Camp built in the 1960s.

"At that time, the facility had a safety distance of four kilometres from the residential areas and this posed no danger to residents. Presently, the depot has been massively encroached by developers to a distance of less than one kilometre."