General News of Saturday, 25 November 2000

Source: GNA

Mob attacks officials of Ashanti Mampong district

A mob numbering about 300, on Thursday besieged the offices of the Sekyere West District Assembly and destroyed property worth several millions of cedes.

Mr Samuel Akwasi Acheampong, District Chief Executive (DCE) and officials of the Assembly, had to run for their dear lives. The mob action was in protest against attempts by the District Administration to reduce the sizes of newly constructed market stalls at Asante Mampong.

Police sources told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that Mr T.E. Attakorah, Assemblyman for Presbyterian electoral area instructed one Nana Agyeman Dwomoh, a local mobile van announcer to announce that the sizes of the stores rented to some people at 3.5 million cedis each, were being reduced. This, the Police said, apparently incited the people to attack the District Administration.

Police said the mob made another allegation that the DCE ordered the arrest of Nana Dwomoh for making the announcement. Mr David Bakari, District Co-ordinating Director, told the GNA that the Assembly decided to undertake further rehabilitation of the stores which was misconstrued as reducing the sizes of the stores.

He said work on the stores constructed under the Agricultural Sector Investment Programme (ASIP) had been suspended.