Tension mounts at Half Assini

Half-Assini (Western Region) 28 May '99

The chief of Half-Assini, Nana Ayebie Amihere the fifth, has appealed to the president Jerry John Rawlings to take immediate action to end the mounting tension in Half Assini over moves to remove the district chief executive from office.

Nana Amihere who made the appeal after an emergency meeting with his council of elders said there could be bloodshed if nothing is done immediately to stem it.

He said a group of people calling themselves "Cambodians" on Wednesday evening stormed the town and started firing indiscriminately.

He said the local police are helpless and the situation is getting out of hand. The chief said tension started mounting at Half-Assini on May 25 after a special meeting of the Jomoro district assembly discuss a resolution by 28 members calling for the removal of the District Chief Executive, Mr Thomas Kwesi.

Mr Daniel Osei, Superintendent of police in-charge of the district descried the situation in the town describing it as disturbing and uncalled for.

He said the police have decided not to issue any permits for demonstrations and public gatherings in Half-Assini.

The police will however provide security at the assembly's meeting tomorrow, Friday, to ensure peace and order, he said.