Story: Tim Dzamboe & Victor Kwawukume, Anloga

The government has announced an Executive Instrument banning the possession and the carrying of firearms in the Anloga, Keta and surrounding areas.

Anybody who is caught carrying any firearm apart from the Police and Military detailed at the area would be arrested and made to face the full rigours of the law, he warned.

The minister of Interior, Mr Kwamena Bartels who announced this at Anloga last Saturday said, “we must do everything to forestall another explosion”.

He gave the order when a ministerial team made up of himself, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Albert Kan Dapaah, the Minister of Justice and Attorney -General, Mr. Joe Ghartey and the Volta Regional Minister, Mr. Kofi Dzamesi paid a visit to the Anlo area to ascertain first hand information on the situation on the ground following clashes triggered by activities in connection with the installation of a new Awoamefia of Anlo which led to four deaths last Thursday.

Addressing police personnel deployed to the scene, Mr. Bartels said that the crisis at Anloga was not over and that the security must be vigilant in order to ensure that a volatile situation does not ensue.

He expressed sympathy and regret over the death of one of their colleagues but urged them not allow that situation to result in emotional imbalance that would affect their professional duties.

“I appreciate the professional manner in which you have handled the riot, even in spite of the death of one of your colleagues, you have conducted yourself very professionally”, he said.

Mr. Bartels asked them to do their best to ensure that peace, tranquillity and stability returned to the area.

Addressing the military contingent stationed at the area, the Minister of Defence, Mr. Kan Dapaah stressed that the greater number of residents of the Anlo area were law-abiding citizens and therefore the security detail should take that into consideration when dealing with the people.

“The way we handle the people is very essential. Let us have this in mind as we go about our duties”, he stressed.

He assured them that all their logistical constraints would be taken care of for them to be able to effectively perform their functions towards the normalising of the situation in the area.

Briefing the ministers, the Keta District Chief Executive, Mr. Edward Ahiabor assured that currently, there was “absolute peace and calm” in the area but expressed worry about the aftermath of the situation saying there was the likelihood of “people jumping on each other”.

He therefore requested that when the situation normalises, some security should be asked to remain on the ground until the tension was totally dissipated.

Mr. Ahiabor also said that there was not enough money to cater for the scores of security men that had been brought to the area and therefore called for central government financial assistance in taking care of them.

The Deputy Volta Regional Police Commander, ACP Alhaji Hamidu Mahama said that the 90 suspects who were picked up last Friday had been pruned down to 74 who were currently at Ho and added that the interrogation process was being expedited to ensure that those who are innocent are quickly released.

He said the moral of the Police personnel was at 75 per cent from a low of 20 per cent when their colleague was killed.

The ministerial team also paid a visit to the Keta Government Hospital where they interacted and sympathised with those who got wounded during the riot.

Meanwhile the curfew that was imposed last Friday took effective effect yesterday from Whuti through Anloga right down to Keta.

At 6pm, there was no sight of people in town. All social activities had halted in absolute compliance with the directive of the minister of interior.

However, because of the construction of the Aflao-Akatsi road most vehicles had to divert through Keta-Anloga to Dabala junction.

But the security mounted road blocks and thoroughly searched all vehicles including the one that the ‘Daily Graphic’ reporters were travelling in.

Some vehicles returning home to Keta who could not beat the 6pm deadline had parked to spend the night at Savietula, just in the outskirts of Anloga but the Deputy Regional Police Commander, ACP Alhaji Hamidu escorted them to their various destinations.