Accra, Nov. 8, GNA - The Ministry of the Interior and the national security apparatus were on Tuesday urged to deploy personnel to Ketu and Akatsi Districts in order to clamp down on the spate of armed robberies in the area to relieve the people from the security threat. Mr James Klutse Avedzi, MP for Ketu North, made this appeal in a statement on the floor of Parliament on the spate of armed robbery activities, which he said was on the ascendancy.

Mr Avedzi said the activities of these armed robbers in the districts was not making it safe to do any kind of business in the area "because the Police officers are helpless since their numerical strength is nothing to write home about.

"Roads linking various communities such as Akatsi, Tadzewu, Dzodze, Ohawu, Abor, Ehi, Penyi, Agbozume, Weta, Matrikasa, Xevi and Aflao are some of the roads on which armed robbery takes place." The MP said the modus operandi of the robbers included blocking of roads with logs in the night to make it difficult for drivers to use the roads adding that they usually used locally manufactured guns, knifes and cutlasses during their operations.

"Occupants of unfortunate vehicles are attacked and their properties mostly monies are taken away from them if only they do not pose any resistance to the robbers' demands."

Mr Avedzi said women are also sexually abused in addition to losing their monies and if anyone attempted to resist he was either wounded or shot at.

He said one Saturday while on his way to his constituency he noticed that the Tadzewu - Akatsi road had been blocked and noticed that armed robbers were around so he managed to swerve the blockage. The MP said he was later informed that armed robbers had attacked a taxi driver that same night at the same spot where the road had been blocked.

After the statement, the Majority Leader, Mr Felix Owusu-Adjapong asked the House to defer contributions from members on the issue since the Minister of the Interior would be addressing the House soon on it, which was supported by the Deputy Minority Leader, Mr Edward Doe-Adjaho.