Accra, May 23, GNA - The residents of Madina Zongo Community (Madina West) have called for thorough investigations into the circumstances surrounding the land dispute last week that erupted into violence and its after effects on the future development of the community. They also requested the intervention of the government through its local authorities and appointees (Municipal Assembly, Administrator of Madina Zongo Council and the MP) to complete the necessary legal processes to re-zone the land and open space for the use and benefit of all.

The Madina Council of Chiefs, Ulamah (Islamic religious leaders) and the Coalition of Madina Youth Associations said these in a joint statement at the week-end on issues concerning the disputed community land at the Zongo Junction and the subsequent rioting and Police actions. Mr Abass Umar Mohammed, Secretary of Madina West Council of Ulama who read the statement, said the land was part of the vast La-Nkwantanang Stool land. He said it was with the consent of the traditional chiefs of Nkwantanang and the Ga East Municipal Assembly that the Madina community had been using it as a community centre for social, cultural, religious, political and recreational activities.

The statement said undoubtedly the strategic location of the land coupled with its size makes it the only space that could host such social gatherings by both Christians and Muslims, various youth groups and associations. Mr Mohammed said the Madina community had a very cordial relationship with the police and the youth in the area had on numerous occasions joined them on patrols and other security operations and it was therefore amazing to them that the Police would turn against them without any just cause. He said the gathering of the youth on the piece of land was a pre-arranged programme to present a petition to the Municipal Chief Executive of Ga East to express their grievances over the sale of community land to a private developer and that it was not a threat against the Faith Baptist Church by the Muslim group or an attack on the school children since the venue of the demonstration was at the open community space and not at the school premises.

"The leadership of the Madina community is not condoning hooliganism or any act of lawlessness. Much as we disapprove of the action of those among the youth who have breached public peace and decency, we condemn the excessive use of force by the Police and the brutalities they meted out to innocent residents of the community," Mr Mohammed said. He thanked all human rights organizations, Muslim and Christian leadership, the media and all peace loving individuals who had expressed their concern about what happened on that day.