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12.11.2007 General News

Don’t Blame Gov’t, Police Over Anlo

By Daily Guide
Dont Blame Govt, Police Over Anlo
12.11.2007 LISTEN

THE ROYAL Adzovia Clan of Anloga, heirs to the Awomefia Stool, has cautioned those making unguarded statements and holding press conferences over the recent installation of an Awomefia to stop blaming government and police, saying those people should instead 'remove the log in their eyes.'

The clan noted that a group of people, who are not members of the Royal Adzovia Clan, have expressed their displeasure since the appointment of a Regent to the Stool on February 1, 2003.

It added that these people went to court four 'good' times in Ho and Denu, but lost all the cases and were instead ordered to pay costs.

“How come that some personalities falsely point accusing fingers at the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the government, and the police for any involvement in the Anlo Chieftaincy issue when the judicial system was extensively used?” it enquired.

In a strongly-worded statement, dated November 8, 2007 and signed by Mr. Albert Kwasi Sadika, acting stool father, the clan again called on the general public to ignore those statements, stressing that those behind them are indulging in what it called 'shifting of goal-posts'.

The statement, which was copied to all media houses in the country, the Office of the President through the Chief of Staff, Minister of Interior, Minister of Culture and Chieftaincy Affairs, and the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), found it unfortunate that people are trying to score political points with the development in the area, and calling for the heads of police and political leaders in the region.

“It is rather sad that people, who falsely portray themselves as clan heads and chiefs of Anlo, and who are representing only themselves, are calling for the removal of the Volta Regional Minister, District Chief Executive of Keta, Regional Police Commander, and the total withdrawal of the police and military, without taking into consideration the murderous plans being hatched by the so-called concerned citizens of Anlo against the kingmakers and the Awomefia,” it said.

It further appealed to the government to conduct thorough investigations into the causes of the violence at Anloga.

Arguing that chieftaincy problems in the area started in 1999 during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) era, the stool father said all that happened last Thursday at Anloga was legitimate.

“Installation and outdooring of chiefs are issues reserved for active royal members who have the capacity to do so. We hereby confirm that the kingmakers of the Royal Adzovia Clan did precisely this and followed the proper customary procedures by installing and outdooring a new Awomefia for Anlo in the morning of 2nd November, 2007.”

It would be recalled that Anloga, the traditional seat of the Anlo State, was over the week-end turned into a theatre of mayhem when three civilians and a policeman were killed by a mob in protest at the installation.

This was followed by the imposition of curfew in the area. The Adzovia clan has since called for a relaxation of the curfew to enable farmers, fishermen, traders and other citizens of the area go about their economic activities freely.

By Bennett Akuaku

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