General News of Friday, 16 May 2008

Source: GNA

Calm restored at Bekwai

Bekwai (Ash), May 16, GNA- Calm has now been restored at Bekwai following the withdrawal of armed policemen, who fired indiscriminately, to quell the intended demonstration against the re-election of the Member of Parliament for Amansie East, Mr Kofi Poku Adusei, to contest the parliamentary seat on the ticket of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Business activities resumed late in the afternoon of Wednesday and people were seen walking freely on the streets.

However, the demonstrators mostly NPP activists paraded through the principal streets of the town amidst brass band music in a peaceful atmosphere.

Road blocks that were earlier mounted on various vantage points were later removed by the demonstrators.

People including school children, who sustained various degrees of injuries were treated and discharged at the Bekwai Government Hospital. The hospital was also not spared, as teargas was fired into, resulting in the health personnel and patients vacating the place leading to a temporal halt of services.

Nana Kaakari Appau, Omanhene of Bekwai, who later visited the hospital to assess the situation, appealed to the health personnel to resume work on humanitarian grounds to save lives.

At the time of filing the report, normal services had resumed at the hospital and the 12 people who were arrested by the police during the disturbances, have been released on police enquiry bail.