Angry chiefs want four navy officers sacked
Source: Today Newspaper
Chiefs and people of Torgor-Dzemeni in the Kpeve District of the Volta Region have demanded the immediate sacking of four navy officers from the area.
The demand follows a crunch meeting held yesterday between chiefs and people of Dzemeni on one hand and the Volta Regional officers of Ghana Navy on the other hand.
The meeting was aimed at resolving a long-standing issue of constant brutalities meted out to innocent chiefs and people by navy officers in the area.
The meeting, which lasted for about three-and-a- half hours, was to find an amicable solution to the problem existing between the navy and the people in the area.
It also sought to know if the chiefs would still keep navy officers at the Torgor-Dzemeni Boats Landing Beach after irate residents drove away four navy officers who allegedly tortured a 27-year-old fisherman, Mr. Kwasi Gadri, on Friday, May 13, 2016.
But the aggrieved chiefs and people of Torgor-Dzemeni in the meeting refused to accept redeployment of the officers to the area again.
Expressing grave worry over the situation, the chiefs stressed the need for the Naval Command to withdraw immediately the navy officers who were recently deployed to Tognor-Dzemeni Boats Landing Beach.
The navy officers have deployed to the area to ensure that frequent boats capsizing on the Black Volta are reduced.
According to the people, who predominately are Ewes and Ga Dangbe, their decision was as a result of a tall list of unprofessional conducts on the part of the navy officers.
Speaking in an interview with Today shortly after the meeting, Assembly Member for Dzemeni West Electoral Area, George Bada Lotsu, confirmed that tension was still high in the area as a result of the assault on Mr. Kwasi Gadri whose only crime was that he had complained about the way the navy officers carried themselves.
Mr. Lotsu, who doubles as the Presiding Member (PM) for Kpeve District Assembly, said if not for the fact that they were law abiding people; things by now would have been different.
It would be recalled that Today, a fortnight ago, reported on an alleged manhandling of Mr. Gadri by four navy officers, for no apparent reason.