Apremdo, September 10, GNA - Major-General Joseph B. Danquah, the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), has said the threat by some chiefs and landowners to eject the 2BN from the Apremdo lands would not promote peace.

He said the presence of military establishments in some parts of the country had promoted peace, minimised crime and ensured a cordial civil-military relationship.

Maj-Gen Danquah said this when he met the regent of Apremdo as part of a day's visit to the Western Region on Friday.

He assured the landowners that the Ministry of Defence (MOD) was still working on the appropriate compensation to be paid to the landowners at Apremdo where the Second Battalion of Infantry (2BN) is located. Maj-Gen Danquah urged the people to exercise restraint and allow the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) some time to work out amicable settlement of the land dispute.

He appealed to the chiefs and opinion leaders to make the education of their children a priority since without it, many of the youths of Apremdo could not enlist into the forces.

Maj-Gen Danquah said the GAF needed highly educated and skilled people since its roles were expanding beyond the borders of Ghana. "Without education, the future of the youth and the town would be bleak since many uneducated and unskilled adults can frustrate the development and peace of the area," he said.

Nana Nware Eziah II, regent of Apremdo, appealed to the GAF and the MOD to investigate the authenticity of all land titleholders to ascertain the genuine owners.

She said several factions and some "outsiders' emerged after the MOD announced that it was going to pay compensation to the land owners. Nana Eziah commended the 2BN for protecting life and property in the area and for curbing the activities of criminals. 10 Sept 05