Regional News of Thursday, 17 March 2016

Source: classfmonline.com

A/R: Snakes invade communities after rains

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Serpents have invaded Kwaso and surrounding communities in the Ejisu Juaben Municipal Assembly of the Ashanti region after a rainstorm there Tuesday March 15, 2016.

According to a unit committee member of the Kwaso Denteso Electoral Area, Kyei Norman, there was confusion at Kwaaso, Esienimpong, Deduako Onyina, Korase when many of the inhabitants abandoned their homes and the streets to seek shelter outside their communities after observing a massive snake presence in the town.

Speaking to Chief Jerry Forson on Accra 100.5FM’s morning show, Ghana Yensom, on Thursday March, 17, 2016, he said snakes of various species, including cobras, vipers, royal pythons, and mambas, could be found in the streets, homes, churches, and gutters of the affected communities, striking terror in residents.

Mr Kyei revealed some snakes were killed in a church moments before service, necessitating church elders to call it off.

He said most of the traumatised inhabitants now walked the streets armed with clubs and machetes to crush snakes on sight, while employing torches and lanterns to light their paths at night to avert snake bites.

Patrick Frimpong, assemblyman of the area, corroborated the account of Mr Kyei, saying he killed 21 of the reptiles since the incident broke and added the assembly and unit committee members had held a meeting Wednesday March 16 to find a solution to the problem.

Although some inhabitants have cited a spiritual connection to the issue, Mr Frimpong said the assembly was still investigating the possible cause of the increased serpent population in the area and hence could not admit that assertion.

He said they were meeting the relevant authorities to spray the areas affected to address the matter in the interim.

There have been no reports of snake bites in the communities so far.