Minister Reports No Breakthrough In Cases Of Murdered Women

ACCRA, Ghana (PANA) - Ghana's National Security minister Kofi Totobi Quakyi said in Accra Tuesday that there has been no major breakthrough in investigations into the murders of women in the country.

He was responding to complaints by an irate public, which has blamed the security agencies of inaction in tracking down the perpetrators.

"We have not made any significant breakthrough in investigations...There have been some arrests by the police. (But) the investigations have not led us to what we think is the bottom of the matter..." he told reporters.

The public has been demanding action from the security agencies for almost two years when the murders started in Accra and the silence of the authorities on the matter has made people accuse them of inaction.

Some people have called on the Inspector- General of Police and the Interior Minister to resign over the lack of progress in apprehending the culprits.

The police have refused to make any comments claiming that doing so may jeopardise their investigations. They also say they are over-stretched and do not have adequate resources.

Several groups at the weekend issued a joint statement in which they threatened to go on a day's sit-down strike over the issue and asked the president and parliament to treat it as a national crisis.

The present uproar has been triggered by the murder of the third woman in one week and about the 25th in Accra and 31st in the country in about two years.

The latest victim was found on Sunday at Asylum Down. She is believed to be from either the northern part of the country or the Volta region and in her late 20s.

Totobi Quakyi said he fully appreciates the gravity of the situation as it has grave security implications and tarnishes the image of the country, which has been known to be peaceful.

"We cherish the fact that Ghana is peaceful and such incidents could start sending wrong signals to the outside world... Of course our first concern is to the people of this country."

The government said on Monday night that it was concerned about the spate of murders and called for public co-operation to bring the perpetrators to book.

The National Security Council is meeting on Tuesday to discuss the issue.

The tactics of the murderers is to dump the bodies at various parts of Accra City. The bodies are usually found naked and lying supine.