Editorial News of Tuesday, 5 January 1999

Source: --

The Graphic

The lead headline of the Graphic which says: "Disturbances at Juaso...One dead 12 cops wounded", should give cause for concern to every peace-loving Ghanaian. The accompanying story , an account of a news conference by the Ashanti Regional Minister, Mr Kojo Yankah, has it that the police shot dead one person at Juaso in the Ashanti Region while supporters of Nana Owusu Achaw Prempeh, ex- Juasohene, also wounded 12 policemen in a gun-battle last Sunday evening. Nana Prempeh's supporters are alleged to have burnt down the Juaso Police Station, destroying all documents, a typewriter and communication equipment after cutting off power supply to the town The story says the deceased has been identified as Kwami Amevor, a setter farmer, while the injured policemen, include Assistant Superintendent of Police, Mr H.A. Yakubu, Commander of the "Buffalo Unit" The Graphic says after the news conference, Mr Yankah led a team of newsmen to Juaso to acquaint himself with developments in the town. The Regional Minister is quoted as saying that three of the wounded policemen, Inspector Sule Bukari and Constables Moses Dekpe and Andrews Appiah, still have bullets in their bodies. Mr Yankah is reported to have told the newsmen that following reports of violence at Juaso the Ashanti Regional Security Council dispatched police reinforcement and military personnel to the town to assess the situation and to restore law and order.