General News of Thursday, 28 April 2005

Source: GNA

MP asks restrain of soldiers in Krachi

Dambai (V/R), April 28, GNA - Mr Wisdom Gidusu, MP for Krachi East on Thursday called on the Ministry of Defence to restrain some standby security force (soldiers) at Krachi West District (KWD) for preventing drivers and traders to patronize a new market being created at an area called "Over Bank" by the Volta Lake in the Krachi East District.

Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency at Dambai, Mr Gidisu appealed to the Volta Regional Minister and the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development to intervene and find solution to the problem as tempers were rising among traders and drivers who plied the area, especially the original Dambai market.

The Dambai market, which is now in the newly created Krachi East District (KEW) was the main source of revenue for the parent district from which it was carved out.

Mr Gidisu said the impunity with which the soldiers forced traders and drivers to offload their passengers and merchandise to the Krachi West District side of the over-bank "left much to be desired and a recipe for breeding confusion in the area."

The MP said the people were not against the creation of another market at he over-bank but rather the days the market should operate must be agreed upon.

He said, "Mondays and Tuesdays are market days at Danbai, any other days could be set aside and considered by the Krachi West District in order not to thwart trading activity in the two markets. The MP questioned the role and the integrity of the military in the whole process.

Mr Gidusu therefore, called for stronger district collaboration towards resolving issues as the creation of the "counter" market could be counter productive if care was not taken.