Life departs from Denkyira-Obuasi after arrest of suspects of lynched soldier

It seems there is no end in sight for life to return to the Denkyira-Obuasi township after some indigenes of the area brutally murdered the late Major Maxwell Adam Mahama, whom they mistook as an armed robber.

Schools, markets and the only health facility in the area have been closed down while many of the indigenes have all vanished into a thin air since the incident happened, leaving sheep, goats and fowls to take over a township with a population of about 2,000.

Even the few elderly who are left in the town are living in fear as they are kept indoors all the time.

Our visit to the area on Wednesday, June 14, 2017 showed that the once vibrant town, which was full of life and buoyant economic activities, has suddenly become a ghost town.

Few children of school-going age who had the courage to stay after the military swoop in the town were seen loitering about, as teachers in the area had fled the town for their dear lives.

Speaking to Today in an interview, many of the children who looked helpless, appealed to the Ghana Education Service (GES) to call for the return of their teachers.

They lamented that their future would be jeopardised if nothing was done about the situation which was through no fault of theirs.

According to them, they have big dreams of taking their education to a higher level, but were afraid that can be cut short due to the unfolding development.

Today gathered that it was the education director in the area who ordered the closure of the schools until further notice.

That decision, the paper was reliably informed, was taken in the interest of the teachers.

Meanwhile, the children were worried that they had been left behind as school curricula were running in all schools throughout the country whilst they did not know when they will resume.

Today also observed that it was not only teachers and pupils who had been affected by the incident, health workers at the only health facility in the area had also abandoned their post, turning the facility into a white elephant.

Market sheds were also seen empty, with stores and shops closed down. Also, farming, which is the main occupation in the town, had been abandoned all in the name of fear of a military invasion.

Food vendors in the town were also not left out for fear of being arrested as they had also sought refuge elsewhere, a situation which was causing hunger and starvation.

Another challenge, Today observed, was that it was difficult getting a commercial vehicle from any of the nearby communities to Denkyira-Obuasi.

Drivers in the surrounding communities told Today that they did not want to have anything to do with the people of Denkyira-Obuasi, hence their decision not to ply their trade in the town.

The few people left in the town lamented that trucks no longer bring foodstuff to the area, making life very unbearable for them.

This development, Today learnt, was compelling indigenes of Denkyira-Obuasi to travel to some nearby communities like Diaso, Ayanfuri and Domenase to buy food. And in the case of seeking healthcare, the residents, our reporter discovered, were being forced to travel all the way to Dunkwa-On-Offin.

The late Major Mahama of the 5th Infantry of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) was gruesomely murdered by some youth in Denkyira-Obuasi on Monday, May 29, 2017.

He was the commander of a military detachment deployed to the town to fight illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.

According to the police, over 50 people have since been arrested including the kingpins who masterminded the lynching of the army officer.