General News of Monday, 14 February 2005

Source: RADIO JUSTIC-TAMALE

Highway Robbery On The Increase In The North

February 14, 2005 -- The Executive Committee of the Student Representative Council of University for Development Studies (UDS) has lamented over the broader dimension the spate of highway robbery in the country has taken.

A statement signed by the SRC Secretary, Salifu Shiraz and copied to the Regional police commander said operations of the robbers have been extended to the northern part of the country, thus making the transport system in the area, especially the Trans-ECOWAS trunk road between Tamale in the Northern region and Navrongo in the Upper West region, increasingly dangerous.

The statement cited a recent robbery on the road, where some students of UDS, reporting to school at the Navrongo campus were attacked, had all their belongings confiscated and nearly got killed.

According to the statement the development is scaring investors and tourist away from the area. To reverse the trend, it recommended increase in the number of patrol team in the area and also armed security persons on board mass transport.