The Ejura Committee set up to investigate the violence in Ejura-Sekyedumase has recommended to government to as a matter of urgency transfer the Distr
The Ejura Committee set up to investigate the violence in Ejura-Sekyedumase has recommended to government to as a matter of urgency transfer the District Police Commander of Ejura, DSP Philip Kojo Hammond over incompetence.
According to the Committee, the relationship between the Police Commander and the community has been damaged beyond repair after the violence that claimed two lives and hence he should not be kept at post.
“The Committee recommends the immediate transfer of the District Police Commander of Ejura, DSP Philip Kojo Hammond, first for his incompetence in handing the situation and for the fact that, his relationship with the community seems to have been damaged beyond repair,” the Ejura Committee led by George Kingsley Koomson as its chairman has said in its report.
In addition, the Ejura Committee has recommended that crowd, riot, and crises control units should be made to wear bodycams when deployed.
The report also recommends that all vehicles and mobile gadgets deployed must also have cameras
It can be recalled that on Wednesday June 30, 2021, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo instructed the Minister for the Interior, Ambrose Dery, to conduct, forthwith, a Public Inquiry into the circumstances that led to the clash between civilians and security officers on Tuesday, June 29, 2021.
The incident which claimed the lives of two civilians and left several others injured occurred on the back of the death of a social activist Ibrahim Kaaka Mohammed.
Find below all 10 recommendations by the Ejura Committee:
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. The Committee recommends adequate Compensation for the families of the two deceased persons, namely, Abdul Nasir Yusif and Murtala Suraj Mohammed. Adequate compensation must also be paid to other injured persons, namely Louis Ayikpa (20 years), Awal Misbau (16 years) and Nasif Nuhu (30 years). These are the names known to the Committee.
2. The Committee recommends the immediate transfer of the District Police Commander of Ejura, DSP Philip Kojo Hammond, first for his incompetence in handing the situation and for the fact that, his relationship with the community seems to have been damaged beyond repair.
3. We further recommend the structural expansion of the Ejura Police Station and an increase in personnel.
4. We recommend the removal of the Ejura-Sckyedumase Municipal Chief Executive, Honourable Mohammed Salisu Bamba, since his continuous presence as MCE would exacerbate the already tense security situation in Ejura.
5. It is further recommended that, the Military Establishment review the actions of the Section on the ground, led by Lieutenant Martin Opoku Adusei, for the inappropriate usce of force, and apply appropriate sanctions.
6. We further recommend the training of REGSEC, MUSEC and DISEC officials in the Ashanti Region in Conflict and Crises Management at the Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College at least once every year.
7. We recommend the development of a joint Standard Operative Procedure (SOP) for Military / Police operations, including roles for indispensable allied agencies like the National Investigations Bureau, NADM0, Ghana National Fire Service, National Ambulance Service, etc.
8. We further recommend that, the NCCE should intensify its Public education in relation to the rights, obligations and civic responsibilities of the people of Ejura.
9. It is further recommended that, all crowd /riot/crises control units be made to wear bodycams and all vehicles and mobile gadgets employed must also have cameras.
10. We recommend the establishment of a Sports and other Recreational Facilities in Ejura under the Zongo Development Fund, so as to re-channel the energies of the youth.
CONCLUSION:
The Committee thanks the Minister for the Interior, Hon. Ambrose Dery, for the confidence reposed in us. We are also grateful to persons and institutions who helped to make our work successful.
Our findings show that, the death of Mohammed Ibrahim aka “Kaaka” and the mishandling of same, was the trigger point for the riots that followed.
Meanwhile, the maximum application of force, worsened the situation. We hope that the ongoing investigations into the death of “Kaaka” would be expedited and the culprit(s) brought to book.
We have put forward some recommendations, which, we bclieve, would be accepted and implemented.
COMMENTS